<p>The Kramers-Wannier self-duality of critical quantum chains is examined from the perspective of model wave functions. We demonstrate, using the transverse-field Ising chain and the 3-state Potts chain as examples, that the symmetry operator for the Kramers-Wannier self-duality follows in a simple and direct way from a ‘generalised’ translation symmetry of the model wave function in the anyonic fusion basis. This translation operation, in turn, comprises a sequence of <i>F</i>-moves in the underlying fusion category. The symmetry operator thus obtained naturally admits the form of a matrix product operator and obeys non-invertible fusion rules. The findings reveal an intriguing connection between the (non-invertible) translation symmetry on the lattice and topological aspects of the conformal field theory describing the scaling limit.</p>