Reading Time Estimator
Counts characters, words, sentences and paragraphs, then estimates reading and speaking time at 300 chars or 200 words per minute.
How to Use
- Paste the article
Drop it in and all eight metrics update live.
- Set speed and basis
Drafting uses the default 300/200, course planning wants 150, skimming wants 400; leave mixed text on auto-detect.
- Tell the two times apart
Reading time is for you, speaking time is for podcasts, voice-over and scripts you will read aloud.
FAQ
Why do I read slower than the tool says?
Completely normal. The estimate is an average for native readers on straightforward text; technical jargon, long sentences, diagrams or passages you have to re-read push real time up by 20–50%. Treat it as a lower bound.
Where does 300 characters per minute come from?
Research on native Chinese readers puts silent reading broadly between 300 and 500 characters per minute; 300 is the conservative end. The English equivalent is 200 to 250 words per minute. The slower and faster presets exist for exactly this kind of adjustment.
Why is speaking time so much longer?
Reading aloud needs breathing and articulation, so it runs 20–30% slower than silent reading — hence the more conservative spoken rates (240 Chinese characters and 150 English words per minute). For podcasts and voice-over, use the speaking time.
How are paragraphs counted?
Blocks separated by a blank line count as one paragraph, and a single-line text still counts as one. Runs of blank lines are not counted twice.