Measure your reading speed (WPM/CPM) and calculate estimated time to finish a book.
100–200 CPM
Close reading, academic texts
200–400 CPM
Typical adult reader
400–600 CPM
Proficient reader, speed reading
Paste a 300–500 character text sample and start the timer. Read naturally as you normally would, then click Done when finished. Measure 3 times and use the average for better accuracy.
Enter total pages and characters per page, or input total characters directly. Average Korean novels have around 600–800 characters per page.
See your estimated completion time, along with how many days it takes reading 30 minutes or 1 hour daily.
A. The average reading speed for Korean adults is around 200–400 CPM (characters per minute). Reading aloud is typically 150–200 CPM, silent reading is 200–400 CPM, and trained speed readers may exceed 500 CPM. Speed varies significantly based on text difficulty and familiarity.
A. WPM (Words Per Minute) measures how many space-separated words you read per minute — the standard metric for English. CPM (Characters Per Minute) counts individual characters/syllables per minute, which is better suited for languages like Korean where words are written together without spaces. This calculator uses CPM as the primary metric for Korean text.
A. Reading efficiency is the percentage of your total reading session that is actual reading time. For example, at 70% efficiency, 42 out of every 60 minutes is spent reading while the rest is used for turning pages, brief rests, and reflection. Most casual readers fall between 60–80%.
A. Effective ways to improve include: practicing silent reading (not vocalizing), expanding vocabulary through wide reading, using a finger or pen to guide your eyes, and training chunking (recognizing groups of characters at once). However, comprehension matters more than speed — always prioritize understanding.
Reading speed measures how much text you read per unit of time. Knowing your personal reading speed — in WPM (English) or CPM (Korean) — allows you to set realistic reading goals and track your progress.
Reading speed is influenced by text difficulty (vocabulary, sentence structure), background knowledge, reading purpose (close reading vs. skimming), environment, and individual vocabulary size. The same reader can have drastically different speeds when reading a novel versus an academic paper. Reading speed should therefore be understood as a contextual, flexible measure rather than a fixed ability.
Research shows that readers who set specific reading goals have significantly higher book completion rates. Use this calculator to find out how long it will take to finish a book based on your reading speed, then set a daily reading target. Reading just 30 minutes a day consistently can lead to completing more than one book per month.