Katakana Letter Small I Letter
ィ is the small Katakana “I” (U+30A3), used in Japanese writing to mark particular sounds and syllables.
U+30A3
ィ is a small Katakana letter used in Japanese text. It appears in specific spelling patterns and is commonly handled by Unicode-aware fonts and software. Below you’ll find practical ways to copy it and use it in your work.
Katakana Letter Small I Letter Meaning
ィ is the Katakana character “KATAKANA LETTER SMALL I” with the code point U+30A3. As a small Katakana letter, it typically functions as part of word-specific sound spellings in Japanese. You’ll most often see it alongside other Katakana characters to form compact combinations. Because it’s a distinct Unicode character (not a resized version created by CSS), it’s safest to copy and paste the exact symbol or use the provided code escapes. In design and development contexts, correct Unicode support and font coverage help ensure it renders properly.
Common uses
- •Japanese text entry where small Katakana “ィ” is required by spelling rules
- •Typography and layout in design tools when composing Katakana word marks
- •UX copy and interface labels that include accurate Japanese phonetic spellings
- •Subtitles, captions, and game text that require precise syllable characters
- •Programming content and localization strings where Unicode fidelity matters
Examples
ィ (Katakana Letter Small I)
- ィきっとぃみたいなよ
- ィすきですぃ
- ィまどぃに すず
- ィちいさき ィ とよむ
- ィキャラクター ばぃ
Variations
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+30A3 | |
| HTML Entity | ィ | |
| HTML Code | ィ | |
| CSS | \30A3 | |
| Alt Code | Alt + 12451 | |
| Decimal | 12451 |
How to type Katakana Letter Small I Letter (ィ)
On Windows
Hold Alt and type 12451 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 30A3 then press Alt + X.
On Mac
Switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, then hold Option and type 30A3. Or press Control + Command + Space and search.
On Linux
Press Control + Shift + U, type 30a3, then press Enter or Space.
Anywhere
Copy ィ with the button above and paste it wherever you need it — this works on every device and in every app, with no keyboard shortcut to remember.
FAQ
What does the Katakana Letter Small I letter mean?
ィ is the Katakana character “KATAKANA LETTER SMALL I” with the code point U+30A3. As a small Katakana letter, it typically functions as part of word-specific sound spellings in Japanese. You’ll most often see it alongside other Katakana characters to form compact combinations. Because it’s a distinct Unicode character (not a resized version created by CSS), it’s safest to copy and paste the exact symbol or use the provided code escapes. In design and development contexts, correct Unicode support and font coverage help ensure it renders properly.
What is the Unicode for ィ?
ィ is U+30A3 (KATAKANA LETTER SMALL I).
How do I copy ィ reliably?
Copy the character directly from this page, or use the provided escapes (HTML entity, CSS escape, or JavaScript escape) to avoid accidental substitutions.
Why doesn’t resizing work the same as using ィ?
ィ is a distinct Unicode character. Making a normal “I” smaller with styling can produce a different character shape and behavior, and may not match the intended text spelling.
Will it always render correctly in my app?
Rendering depends on font support. Using a Unicode-capable Japanese font (and correct encoding, typically UTF-8) helps ensure proper display.