Shoe Size Converter
Convert between US, UK, EU and Japanese shoe sizes — or start from the only number that never lies, your actual foot length in centimetres. Every result is derived from foot length rather than chained size-to-size guesswork.
- Foot length first
- US, UK, EU & JP
- Honest about brand variance
- Instant, no sign-up
Foot length 24.5 cm · 9.65 inches
Where you sit on the range
Full conversion
Why this shoe size converter is different
Most conversion charts map one size straight onto another. That works until it does not — the systems are built on different units, so chained conversions drift, and a US 9 becomes an EU 42 on one site and a 43 on the next.
Everything derives from foot length
Your foot in centimetres is the one measurement every system is ultimately built on. We convert to that first, then out to each size, so nothing compounds along the way.
Fit preference built in
Dress shoes, everyday shoes and running shoes need different amounts of toe room. Choose the fit and the recommendation adjusts, instead of giving one number for every occasion.
Honest about brand variance
No chart survives contact with real shoes. We tell you the realistic margin of error rather than pretending a single number is definitive.
Both directions, four systems
Start from a size you already own in US, UK, EU or Japanese sizing, or from a tape measure. US, UK, EU, JP and Chinese sizes all come back at once.
See the whole range
A visual scale shows where your foot sits across adult sizing, which makes it obvious when you are between sizes rather than squarely in one.
Instant and private
Runs entirely in your browser. No measurements are uploaded, nothing is stored, and there is no sign-up.
How to measure your foot properly
- 1
Measure in the evening
Feet swell through the day by up to half a size. Measuring at 9am gives you shoes that pinch by 6pm.
- 2
Stand on paper against a wall
Heel touching the wall, full weight on the foot. Sitting down understates the length, because the foot spreads when loaded.
- 3
Mark the longest toe
Hold a pencil upright and mark the paper at the tip of your longest toe — which is not always the big toe.
- 4
Measure both feet
Most people have one foot larger than the other. Take the longer measurement and wear the socks you actually intend to use.
How the four sizing systems work
Shoe sizing looks arbitrary because it is four unrelated systems that grew up independently, each measuring something slightly different.
US and UK — the barleycorn
Both descend from the English barleycorn, one third of an inch. Each full size is one barleycorn longer, and a half size is a sixth of an inch. The two scales are offset from each other: a men’s US size is about half a size larger than the same UK number, so US 9 is UK 8.5. Women’s US sizes sit roughly two sizes above the UK equivalent, so US 8 is UK 6.
EU — the Paris point
Continental sizing uses the Paris point, two thirds of a centimetre, and it measures the last — the mould the shoe is built on — rather than your foot. Because the last is longer than the foot inside it, EU sizes do not map neatly onto US or UK numbers, and there are no half sizes in the original system. This is why EU conversions in any chart are approximate, ours included, and why you will see 42.5 and 43 quoted for the same US 9.
JP and CN — foot length itself
Japanese sizing is refreshingly literal: the number is your foot length in centimetres. Chinese sizing is the same in practice for most modern brands. If your foot is 26 cm, you wear a 26. This is the most useful system to know, because it converts to everything else without ambiguity.
Men’s to women’s
In US sizing, a women’s size is roughly 1.5 to 2 sizes higher than the men’s size for the same foot. A women’s US 9 is broadly a men’s US 7 to 7.5. Note that women’s lasts are usually narrower, so a straight number swap is not a guaranteed fit even when the length matches.
Why the same size fits differently
There is no enforced standard behind any of these numbers. Two brands can label the same last differently, and frequently do.
The realistic margin
Expect up to half a size of variation between brands, and occasionally a full size. Running brands tend to run small because they build for a snug fit; skate and casual brands often run large. Italian dress shoes are notoriously narrow and short for their stated size.
Width is the missing dimension
Length gets all the attention, but most fit complaints are width problems. If shoes feel tight across the ball of the foot while the toe box has room, you need a wider fitting, not a longer shoe. Going up a size to solve a width problem gives you a shoe that slips at the heel.
Buying online
- Check the brand’s own size chart in centimetres, not their US number.
- Read reviews for “runs small” or “runs large” before ordering.
- Order two sizes when returns are free, and send back the one that loses.
- Leave about a centimetre — a thumb’s width — between your longest toe and the end.
- Running shoes normally need half a size more than your measured size, because feet swell and splay over distance.
When you fall between sizes
Size up rather than down for anything you will walk in for hours, and use a thicker sock or an insole to take up the slack. A shoe that is fractionally long is an inconvenience; one that is fractionally short costs you toenails.
Women’s shoe size chart
Foot length is the measured length of the foot itself. EU values are approximate and vary by up to half a size between brands.
| US | UK | EU | JP / CN | Foot length | Inches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 35 | 22 | 22.0 cm | 8.7" |
| 5.5 | 3.5 | 36 | 22.5 | 22.4 cm | 8.8" |
| 6 | 4 | 36.5 | 23 | 22.9 cm | 9.0" |
| 6.5 | 4.5 | 37 | 23.5 | 23.3 cm | 9.2" |
| 7 | 5 | 38 | 23.5 | 23.7 cm | 9.3" |
| 7.5 | 5.5 | 38.5 | 24 | 24.1 cm | 9.5" |
| 8 | 6 | 39 | 24.5 | 24.5 cm | 9.7" |
| 8.5 | 6.5 | 39.5 | 25 | 25.0 cm | 9.8" |
| 9 | 7 | 40.5 | 25.5 | 25.4 cm | 10.0" |
| 9.5 | 7.5 | 41 | 26 | 25.8 cm | 10.2" |
| 10 | 8 | 41.5 | 26 | 26.2 cm | 10.3" |
| 10.5 | 8.5 | 42.5 | 26.5 | 26.7 cm | 10.5" |
| 11 | 9 | 43 | 27 | 27.1 cm | 10.7" |
Men’s shoe size chart
| US | UK | EU | JP / CN | Foot length | Inches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5.5 | 39 | 24.5 | 24.5 cm | 9.7" |
| 6.5 | 6 | 39.5 | 25 | 25.0 cm | 9.8" |
| 7 | 6.5 | 40.5 | 25.5 | 25.4 cm | 10.0" |
| 7.5 | 7 | 41 | 26 | 25.8 cm | 10.2" |
| 8 | 7.5 | 41.5 | 26 | 26.2 cm | 10.3" |
| 8.5 | 8 | 42.5 | 26.5 | 26.7 cm | 10.5" |
| 9 | 8.5 | 43 | 27 | 27.1 cm | 10.7" |
| 9.5 | 9 | 43.5 | 27.5 | 27.5 cm | 10.8" |
| 10 | 9.5 | 44 | 28 | 27.9 cm | 11.0" |
| 10.5 | 10 | 45 | 28.5 | 28.4 cm | 11.2" |
| 11 | 10.5 | 45.5 | 29 | 28.8 cm | 11.3" |
| 11.5 | 11 | 46 | 29 | 29.2 cm | 11.5" |
| 12 | 11.5 | 46.5 | 29.5 | 29.6 cm | 11.7" |
| 13 | 12.5 | 48 | 30.5 | 30.5 cm | 12.0" |
These charts are generated from the same foot-length model the calculator uses, so the tool and the tables never disagree with each other.
Shoe size conversion FAQs
What is a US 8 in UK sizes?
A women’s US 8 is a UK 6, which is a foot length of about 24.5 cm. A men’s US 8 is a UK 7.5, around 26.2 cm. The men’s and women’s offsets are different, which is why a single US-to-UK rule does not work for both.
What size is EU 39 in US?
EU 39 is roughly a women’s US 8 or a men’s US 6, corresponding to a foot around 24.5 cm. EU sizing measures the shoe’s last rather than your foot, so every EU conversion carries about half a size of uncertainty. If the brand publishes a centimetre measurement, trust that over the EU number.
How do I convert men’s to women’s shoe sizes?
Add roughly 1.5 to 2 to a men’s US size to get the women’s equivalent, so a men’s 7.5 is about a women’s 9. Length is only half the story though — women’s lasts are cut narrower, so a man with a broad foot buying women’s shoes may need to go up further or look for a wide fitting.
How do I measure my foot for shoe size?
Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall and your full weight on the foot. Mark the paper at the tip of your longest toe, then measure from the wall edge of the paper to the mark. Do both feet, take the larger number, and measure in the evening when your feet are at their largest.
Why does the same size fit differently in different brands?
There is no legally enforced shoe sizing standard, so each brand builds its own lasts and labels them as it sees fit. Half a size of variation between brands is normal and a full size is not unusual. Running brands often run small, casual and skate brands often run large, and Italian dress shoes tend to be both short and narrow for their stated size.
Should I size up for running shoes?
Usually yes, by about half a size. Feet swell and lengthen under repeated impact, and a shoe that fits perfectly standing still will bruise your toenails at mile eight. Aim for roughly a thumb’s width, about one centimetre, between your longest toe and the front of the shoe.
Is Japanese sizing the same as Chinese sizing?
In practice, yes, for most modern footwear. Both label shoes by foot length in centimetres, so a 26 in either system means a 26 cm foot. Older Chinese sizing systems used different scales, so check the brand’s chart if you are buying from a domestic Chinese seller rather than an international one.
What if my two feet are different sizes?
That is normal — most people have a measurable difference between feet. Always buy for the larger foot and take up the slack in the smaller one with a thicker sock or an insole. A shoe that is slightly too big can be adjusted; one that is too small cannot.
Conversions are calculated from a foot-length model and are a starting point, not a guarantee of fit. Always check the brand’s own chart in centimetres before ordering.
Stop guessing your size abroad
Measure once in centimetres and get your US, UK, EU and Japanese sizes together — with an honest note on how much the brand can move them.