PY

ピャピュピョ — The PY Row

01

The final katakana set

The PY set is a full-size (pi — ヒ with a handakuten ゜) plus a small ャ, ュ, or ョ: ピ + ャ = ピャ (pya), ピ + ュ = ピュ (pyu), ピ + ョ = ピョ (pyo), one syllable each. ピュ is the useful one — it's inside “computer” — while ピャ and ピョ stay rare. This is the last set: learn it and you've covered the entire katakana syllabary.

One syllable: ピュ is “pyu,” one beat — like the start of “pure.” Keep the handakuten ゜ (the circle) on ピ distinct from the small ャ ュ ョ below it.
02

Pronunciation at a glance

KanaRomajiPronunciation
ピャ pya"P" + "ya" blended quickly
ピュ pyu"P" + "yu" blended — like "pew"
ピョ pyo"P" + "yo" blended quickly
03

Words with the PY kana

ピュ opens several loanwords; ピャ and ピョ are rare. Here are a few.

konpyūtācomputer
pyuapure
pyūrepuree
pyūmapuma
pyonhop, leap (onomatopoeia)
04

You've finished katakana!

That's every katakana — all 46 basic characters, the voiced and semi-voiced rows, and all eleven combined-kana sets. From here, jump to the full chart to review, or carry your reading into kanji and grammar.