There is no single worldwide shoe size. A pair labelled 260 in Korea, 8 in the US, 7 in the UK and 41 in Europe can be the same shoe, but only roughly, and only for one brand's idea of how the numbers line up. This converter starts from the Korean millimeter size, shows the matching US men's, US women's, UK and EU labels from the table on this page, and lets you type your foot length to get a suggested size. Treat every output as a starting candidate. The size chart of the brand you are buying from always takes priority.
Why shoe sizes differ from country to country
Korea labels shoes in millimeters. The US, UK and Europe each inherited a traditional scale with its own unit and its own starting point, so the same numeral means something different depending on where it is printed.
- Korea (mm): steps of 5 mm (250, 255, 260). The number is a length, so it is the easiest to read. Even so, a 260 from one brand can have a slightly different inner length (last) than a 260 from another.
- Europe (EU, Paris points): one Paris point is 2/3 of a centimeter, about 6.67 mm. The EU size is roughly the length of the shoe's last multiplied by 1.5 (in centimeters). A common shortcut adds an allowance of about 15 mm to the foot length first.
- UK: one size is 1/3 of an inch, about 8.47 mm. For adult sizes, men and women are normally shown on the same scale.
- US: the same step as the UK but a different starting point. Men's US is usually UK plus 1, and women's US is usually around UK plus 2. Men's and women's scales are separate.
So one and the same shoe can be "Korea 260 = US men's 8 = UK 7 = EU 41 (approximately)" and, on a women's scale, US women's 9.5. The table below puts the systems side by side.
Korean mm to US, UK and EU size chart (approximate)
The values come from a commonly used men's brand chart and are a reference only. There is no internationally agreed conversion rule, and brands and models can differ by a size or more. The "EU (calc.)" column is a simple Paris point calculation, (Korean mm + 15) x 0.15. It is normal for it to differ from the printed EU size by 0.5 to 1.
| Korea (mm) | US men's | US women's | UK | EU (chart) | EU (calc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225 | 4.5 | 6 | 3.5 | 36 | 36.0 |
| 230 | 5 | 6.5 | 4 | 36.5 | 36.8 |
| 235 | 5.5 | 7 | 4.5 | 37.5 | 37.5 |
| 240 | 6 | 7.5 | 5 | 38 | 38.3 |
| 245 | 6.5 | 8 | 5.5 | 39 | 39.0 |
| 250 | 7 | 8.5 | 6 | 40 | 39.8 |
| 255 | 7.5 | 9 | 6.5 | 40.5 | 40.5 |
| 260 | 8 | 9.5 | 7 | 41 | 41.3 |
| 265 | 8.5 | 10 | 7.5 | 42 | 42.0 |
| 270 | 9 | 10.5 | 8 | 42.5 | 42.8 |
| 275 | 9.5 | 11 | 8.5 | 43 | 43.5 |
| 280 | 10 | 11.5 | 9 | 44 | 44.3 |
| 285 | 10.5 | 12 | 9.5 | 44.5 | 45.0 |
| 290 | 11 | 12.5 | 10 | 45 | 45.8 |
| 295 | 11.5 | 13 | 10.5 | 46 | 46.5 |
| 300 | 12 | 13.5 | 11 | 46.5 | 47.3 |
The women's US column is the men's US size plus 1.5, which follows the convention at Nike and several other brands. Other brands use +1 or +2, so for women's sizes in particular, check that brand's own chart first.
How to measure your foot
- Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall, putting your weight on the foot. Mark the tip of your longest toe with a pencil. It is not always the big toe.
- Measure the straight-line distance from the back of the heel to the mark in millimeters. Do both feet and use the longer one.
- Feet swell during the day, so measure in the afternoon or evening.
- Add some room for the toes when walking, commonly 5 to 10 mm. Many people choose about 10 mm for sneakers and running shoes and around 5 mm for dress shoes, but fit is personal and brand-dependent.
- If your foot is wide or has a high instep, consider the next size up or a wide-width last, even if the length matches.
The converter's foot-length box follows this logic: it adds about 10 mm to the length you enter, rounds up to the next 5 mm step (ceil((foot + 10) / 5) x 5) and selects that row of the table, limited to the 225 to 300 mm range of the data.
Worked examples
Example 1. Foot length 255 mm. Adding about 10 mm gives 265 mm as a comfortable sneaker size. In the table, 265 is US men's 8.5, UK 7.5 and EU 42. The Paris point calculation (265 + 15) x 0.15 = 42.0 agrees with the chart.
Example 2. Buying a US women's 7.5. Women's US is men's US plus 1.5, so a women's 7.5 corresponds to a men's 6 (7.5 - 1.5). In the table that is Korea 240 mm, UK 5, EU 38. A men's US 7.5, by contrast, is Korea 255 mm, a 15 mm difference for the same printed number, which is why the M/W label matters.
Example 3. Paris points by hand. A last length of 275 mm (a 260 mm foot plus 15 mm) is 275 / 6.667 = 41.25 Paris points, close to EU 41. With 20 mm of allowance instead, (260 + 20) x 0.15 = 42, one size up. That is why the allowance you assume changes the EU number you end up with.
Brand and gender differences, and common mistakes
- "I bought exactly what the chart said and it doesn't fit." A conversion table describes common practice, not a rule. Even within one brand the last differs between running shoes, boots and dress shoes. Use the brand's own foot-length chart (cm or mm) whenever it exists.
- Mixing up men's and women's US. The two scales are about 1.5 sizes apart. Check the M or W label.
- Assuming UK and US use the same numbers. The step is the same, but the men's scale is shifted by about 1 and the women's by about 2.
- Treating the Korean mm size as your foot length. The labelled size refers to the inside of the shoe, and the allowance varies by brand.
- Converting children's sizes with this chart. Kids' and toddlers' systems (for example US Kids or EU 20 to 35) are separate. Do not use this table for them.
- Ignoring width and instep. A correct length with the wrong width is still uncomfortable. Look for wide options.
Before you order online or from abroad
- Check whether the brand's size guide has a foot-length table. If it does, find your measured length there rather than relying on a conversion. If it differs from this tool by two sizes or more, trust the brand.
- Read reviews for fit comments such as "true to size", "runs small" or "size up". Comparing reviewers' usual size with the one they bought gives the most realistic correction.
- Look at the label inside a pair you already own. It usually prints US, UK, EU and cm together, and that combination is your personal conversion table for that brand.
- Check men's, women's or unisex. Whether a unisex model is on the men's or women's scale can mean a 1.5 size gap.
- Check the return and exchange terms and who pays shipping, so a wrong guess is cheap to fix.
When not to use this tool
- Children's and toddlers' shoes, and specialist footwear such as ski boots, football boots, climbing shoes and corrective shoes, have their own sizing.
- If you need made-to-measure shoes or orthotic insoles, have your feet measured by a professional.
- Sizes outside the 225 to 300 mm range of the table are not covered.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use this table for women's shoes too?
The Korean mm, UK and EU columns are based on length and can be read as they are, but US sizes differ by gender, so use the "US women's" figure. At many brands women's US is men's US plus 1.5, but it can be +1 to +2, so confirm with that brand's women's chart.
Is my foot length the same as my shoe size in millimeters?
No. The shoe size is closer to the inside length of the shoe, normally 5 to 10 mm longer than the foot. A foot of 255 mm commonly goes with a 260 to 265 mm shoe, depending on the brand and shoe type.
How is the EU size calculated?
It uses Paris points, where one point is 2/3 cm. As a rough rule, EU = (foot length + allowance) x 1.5 / 10 when the length is in millimeters. The "EU (calc.)" column assumes a 15 mm allowance. Brand charts round differently, so expect a gap of 0.5 to 1.
Why does the size differ between models of the same brand?
Each model has its own last, cushioning and toe shape. Running shoes often feel larger than casual sneakers and dress shoes smaller, but this varies by brand, so rely on fit comments in reviews.
Which one should I trust if the chart and the brand disagree?
Always the official size chart of the brand you are buying. The table on this page is for narrowing down candidates when you do not have that information.
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