Reference
Frequently asked questions
The questions we hear most about coverage analysis, answered plainly.
Does HanziCoverage upload the text I paste?
No. Segmentation, classification, and coverage math all run in your browser over data bundled with the page, so your pasted text is never uploaded or transmitted. We receive only anonymous aggregate statistics, such as a coarse text-length band and a coverage band, never the text itself and no accounts or identifiers.
How accurate is the coverage estimate?
It is a close estimate, not an exact count. Automatic segmentation mis-splits names and words outside the dictionary, and coverage assumes you know every word up to your chosen level. Use it to compare texts and plan study, not as a precise reading score.
How many characters do you need to read a Chinese newspaper?
Comfortable newspaper reading usually wants roughly 2,000 to 3,000 characters and 3,000 to 4,000 words, but the honest answer is your coverage of the specific article. Paste a real sample into the analyzer to see where you land rather than trusting a round number.
Is word coverage the same as understanding the text?
No. Coverage measures how many words you recognize, not whether you understand every sentence. Grammar, idiom, and the rare content words that carry a topic's meaning are exactly the hard part, and word coverage cannot see them. Treat a coverage figure as a planning estimate for how readable a text is likely to be, not a comprehension score.
Does the analyzer work with Traditional characters?
Yes. You can paste Simplified or Traditional Chinese, or a mix. The dictionary maps common Traditional forms back to their Simplified entry before matching, so coverage and the gap list work either way. Traditional variants that share a Simplified word are treated as the same word.
What coverage do I need to read Chinese comfortably?
Reading research commonly cites roughly 95 percent known-word coverage for comfortable extensive reading and roughly 98 percent for comfortable independent reading without constant dictionary help. Below about 90 percent, a text is usually a hard slog. These are guideline figures from the reading literature, not exact thresholds, and coverage is not the same as full comprehension.