Shoe size systems explained: US, UK, EU, CM & Mondopoint
Four different numbers can describe the very same shoe. Here’s what US, UK, EU/French and Japanese CM sizing each actually measure — and why only one of them is a real measurement of your foot.
The four systems at a glance
| System | What it measures | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| US | A label graded from the old English system; men’s and women’s scales differ by ~1.5 sizes. | Two shoes labelled the same US size can differ in length by brand. |
| UK | The original English system. A UK size is usually about 0.5 below the US men’s number. | UK men’s and women’s use the same scale (a UK 7 is a UK 7). |
| EU / French (Paris point) | Counts in Paris points, where one size ≈ 6.67 mm (⅔ cm). Unisex. | Because the step is bigger, EU half-steps don’t map cleanly onto US/UK half-sizes. |
| CM / JP (Mondopoint) | The actual length of your foot in centimetres. Used in Japan and as the ISO Mondopoint standard. | The only system that is a real measurement — which is exactly why we convert on it. |
Side by side (men’s, example)
The systems lined up against real foot lengths, using Nike’s men’s chart as an example. Notice how the EU numbers don’t step evenly against US half-sizes — that’s the bigger Paris-point increment at work.
| US (men) | UK | EU | CM / JP | Foot length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 6 | 40 | 25 | 24.5 cm |
| 8 | 7 | 41 | 26 | 25.4 cm |
| 9 | 8 | 42.5 | 27 | 26.2 cm |
| 10 | 9 | 44 | 28 | 27.1 cm |
| 11 | 10 | 45 | 29 | 27.9 cm |
| 12 | 11 | 46 | 30 | 28.8 cm |
Example only — the exact numbers shift by brand. See any brand size chart for that brand’s values.
Why CM (foot length) wins
US, UK and EU are all labels applied to a last. CM / Mondopoint is the length of your foot. Because it’s a physical measurement, it’s the same fact in every country and every brand — so it converts without the rounding drift you get from chaining one label to another. That’s why our converter anchors on foot length in centimetres.
Know your foot length? Convert it to any brand and system. Not sure of it yet? Here’s how to measure your shoe size in a couple of minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between US and UK shoe sizes?
They use the same step size but different starting points. A UK size is normally about half a size smaller than the US men’s size — so a US men’s 10 is roughly a UK 9. Women’s US sizes sit about 1.5 sizes above men’s.
How does EU shoe sizing work?
EU (Continental / French) sizing counts in Paris points of about 6.67 mm each, measured on the last rather than the foot. Because that increment is larger than a US half-size, EU sizes often look like they jump unevenly against US numbers.
What is Mondopoint?
Mondopoint is an international standard that sizes shoes by actual foot length (and sometimes width) in millimetres or centimetres. Japanese “CM” sizing is the same idea. It is the most precise system because it measures the foot, not a label.
Why don’t the systems convert cleanly?
Each system has a different zero point and a different step size, and each brand applies them slightly differently. Converting label-to-label compounds those rounding gaps, which is why anchoring on foot length in cm is more accurate.