Shoe sizes do not translate with a single formula, because each system starts from a different idea: US and UK sizes count barleycorn steps from a base point, EU sizes count Paris points, and Japanese and Korean sizes simply state the foot length they are built for - centimetres in Japan, millimetres in Korea. A chart is the only honest way across, and this page gives the standard conversions for men's and women's sizes in all five systems.
Two cautions before the numbers. First, conversions are general guides: brands last their shoes differently, and the same EU size from two makers can fit noticeably differently - the chart gets you to the right neighborhood, the brand's own chart and a fitting decide the house. Second, width is a separate choice that no length chart converts; if width is your problem, start with how to measure foot width. For the site's original chart and foot-length tables, see the shoe size chart.
Men's Shoe Size Conversion Chart
| US men | UK | EU | Japan (cm) | Korea (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | 7 | 40 | 25.5 | 255 |
| 8 | 7.5 | 41 | 26 | 260 |
| 8.5 | 8 | 42 | 26.5 | 265 |
| 9 | 8.5 | 43 | 27 | 270 |
| 9.5 | 9 | 43.5 | 27.5 | 275 |
| 10 | 9.5 | 44 | 28 | 280 |
| 11 | 10.5 | 45 | 29 | 290 |
| 11.5 | 11 | 45.5 | 29.5 | 295 |
The pattern to remember: a US men's size is roughly half a size above its UK equivalent, and the Japanese and Korean columns are the same length in different units - 27 cm in Japan is 270 in Korea. If you know your foot length in centimetres, you can enter the chart from the Japan column and read left to any system. Rows where published charts commonly disagree by half an EU size have been left out rather than guessed.
Women's Shoe Size Conversion Chart
| US women | UK | EU | Japan (cm) | Korea (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 5.5 | 38.5-39 | 24 | 240 |
| 8.5 | 6 | 39-40 | 24.5 | 245 |
| 9 | 6.5 | 40-40.5 | 25 | 250 |
| 9.5 | 7 | 41 | 25.5 | 255 |
| 10 | 7.5 | 41.5-42 | 26 | 260 |
Women's EU conversions are shown as a short range where reputable published charts straddle two values - women's EU sizing is the least standardized column in international footwear, and a single printed number would pretend to a precision the systems do not have. Women's US sizes run about 1.5 sizes above men's for the same foot, so a women's 9 is roughly a men's 7.5 in length (though the lasts differ in width and shape, which is why unisex styles publish separate charts). Children’s sizes follow a different scale entirely and are not covered by these tables.
Convert from Foot Length: The Reliable Route
When a conversion matters - an expensive order from overseas, a brand you have never worn - skip the label arithmetic and measure the foot itself. Stand on a sheet of paper in the evening, trace the foot, and measure heel to longest toe in centimetres. That number is your Japanese size and, times ten, your Korean size, before any brand adjustment. Then read the chart from that column, and prefer the brand's own foot-length chart where one exists: several athletic brands publish their US sizes against centimetre lengths that differ slightly from the generic chart, and their number governs their shoes.
The interactive size conversion tool does the same job for one size at a time, and the education section's shoe measurements guide adds the width dimensions that pair with these lengths. Between two chart results, choose the larger for boots and athletic shoes worn with thick socks, and the smaller for unlined dress shoes only when the brand is known to run long.
Common Questions
- What is a US men's size 9 in EU and UK sizes?
- A US men's 9 is a UK 8.5 and an EU 43, built for a foot of about 27 cm - which is a Japanese 27 and a Korean 270. It is one of the most stable rows on the chart; nearly all published conversions agree on it.
- Is the Japanese shoe size just my foot length?
- Essentially, yes: Japanese adult sizes state the foot length in centimetres, and Korean sizes state the same length in millimetres. That makes them the most transparent systems - if your foot measures 26 cm, you start from a Japanese 26 or Korean 260 and adjust for the brand.
- Why does the same EU size fit differently between brands?
- Because EU sizes set the last length in Paris points, but brands choose their own last shapes, toe allowances and grading. The conversion chart equalizes the label, not the internal fit, which is why trying on or a brand-specific chart still matters.
- How do I convert a women's size to a men's size?
- As a length rule of thumb, subtract about 1.5: a women's US 9 is roughly a men's US 7.5. The shoes are not interchangeable, though - men's lasts are wider at the ball and heel - so the conversion is a starting point for unisex styles, not a guarantee.
Measure & Convert: The Full Series
This page is part of the Apparel Search measuring and size conversion series. Browse the full series below, or start from the size guides hub.