US Shoe Sizing System

The United States shoe sizing system uses separate numeric scales for men, women, and kids. There is no single “US size 9”—a men’s 9 and a women’s 9 are different foot lengths. This guide explains how US sizes are defined, how they convert to EU, UK, and Japan, how width (B, D, E, EE) works, and where to find exact conversions and tools on this site.

How US Shoe Sizing Works

US sizes are based on foot length, with one size step roughly equal to ⅓ inch (about 8.5 mm). The key difference from EU is that men’s and women’s scales are offset: for the same foot length, the women’s size number is typically 1.5 to 2 higher than the men’s. For example, a foot that fits a US men’s 9 usually fits a US women’s 10.5. So when you see “US 9” on a product, you must know whether it’s men’s or women’s before converting to EU or UK.

US men’s sizes commonly run from about 6 to 14 (and beyond in big-and-tall); women’s from about 5 to 12. Half sizes are standard (7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, etc.), which allows a closer fit. Kids have their own progression: small children use “C” (child) sizes such as 1C–13C, then “Y” (youth) 1Y–7Y, which eventually overlap with adult men’s sizing. For accurate conversion from your foot length in cm, use our CM to US Shoe Size tool or Foot Measurement Calculator, and always choose the correct gender or kids category.

US to EU, UK, and Japan: Conversion Examples

Conversions are based on matching foot length. Slight variations exist between charts; below are typical equivalents.

• US men’s 8 → about EU 41–42, UK 7; US 8 → EU, US 8 → UK.
• US men’s 9 → about EU 42–42.5, UK 8; US 9 → EU, US 9 → UK.
• US men’s 10 → about EU 43–44, UK 9; US 10 → EU, US 10 → UK.
• US women’s 8 → about EU 38–39, UK 5.5–6; US 8 → EU (women), US 8 → UK (women).
• US to Japan — Japan uses cm (e.g. 26 cm). US men’s 9 ≈ Japan 26–27 cm; see US 9 → Japan and the programmatic index for more.

Use the main Shoe Size Converter, US to EU Size, and UK to US Size for multi-region conversion. The Programmatic Index lists every single-size page (e.g. US 9 to EU, US 10 to UK, US 7 to Japan).

US Shoe Width Explained

US width is one of the most standardized systems. Common letters:

• B — narrow (often standard for women).
• D — medium (often standard for men).
• E, EE (2E), 4E — wide to extra wide.

So a “D” width in men’s is the default; in women’s, “B” is often default. If you have wide feet, look for E or EE; for narrow, look for B or A. Our Foot Width Calculator and Foot Width Guide help you determine your width from measurements. When converting US to EU or UK, length is converted first; width options still depend on the brand—many EU brands don’t offer the same width range as US.

Tools and Programmatic Pages

Use these resources for US conversions and related sizing:

• Shoe Size Converter — enter US (or any region) and get EU, UK, US, Japan.
• US to EU Size — convert US to EU.
• UK to US Size — convert UK to US (and vice versa via converter).
• CM to US Shoe Size — foot length in cm to US size.
• Foot Measurement Calculator — measure then convert.
• Kids Growth & Shoe Size Calculator — for children’s US sizes.
• Programmatic Index — all single-size pages (e.g. US 9 → EU, US 10 → UK, US → EU).

For broader context, see the Complete Global Size Chart Guide, Shoe Size Guides, and Measurement Guides.

FAQ: US Shoe Sizing