Abstract For learners who aim at a clear and logical understanding of the English pronunciation system, phonetic symbols provided in learners' English dictionaries can be a powerful tool if they are properly used. However, it often happens that Japanese learners become confused by the variation of phonetic symbols between dictionaries, which can cause them to give up learning the symbols. This can also hinder effective utilization of phonetic symbols in English classes in Japan. This paper surveys the variation of phonetic transcriptions from samples of learners' English dictionaries currently published in Japan and abroad, and compares details of transcriptions of diphthongs and triphthongs, aiming to produce a more accessible and educationally fertile table of phonetic symbols. Key words learner's English dictionary, phonetic symbol, diphthong, triphthong