Reading Time Calculator
Calculate reading time, speaking time, and word statistics for any text.
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What is this tool?
Reading time calculator estimates how long it takes to read a piece of text based on average reading speed. Default assumes 200-250 words per minute for English and 300-400 characters per minute for Chinese. Provides separate estimates for slow, average, and fast reading, speaking, and scanning speeds. Widely used by blogs, news sites, and documentation platforms.
How to use
- 1
Paste text
Input the text content to analyze.
- 2
Adjust speed
Set reading speed if needed (default 200 WPM).
- 3
View result
See estimated reading time and word count.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is average reading speed?
Average English reading speed is 200-250 words per minute for silent reading. Chinese is approximately 300-400 characters per minute. Speaking/presenting is slower at 130-150 WPM. Technical content reduces speed by 25-50%.
Does it account for images?
No, estimates text only.
Does it handle Unicode and special characters?
Yes, the tool fully supports Unicode characters including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and emoji.
How is reading time calculated?
Divide the word count by an assumed words-per-minute rate, rounding up. Adult English prose is typically 200-250 WPM; 300 WPM is common for shorter, simpler text. A 1,200-word article at 225 WPM is 5.3, rounded to about 6 minutes. For non-English text, use character counts or CJK-specific rates instead.