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How to count words and characters

Essays want words. Forms often want characters. Chinese homework often wants characters with no spaces. You will paste the text and read the matching number.

5-minute read

Today's result The number the form or teacher actually asked for, from text that never left this tab.

Open word count when the text is ready. Words, characters, and characters without spaces are three different counts. Nothing is uploaded.

Open Word counter
Contents
  1. Know which number you need

    English essays: words. Twitter-style caps and many web forms: characters. Chinese homework: characters with spaces removed. Do not mix them.

    Words · characters · characters with no spaces. Three jobs, three numbers.
    Words · characters · characters with no spaces. Three jobs, three numbers.
  2. Open word count on cv.cm

    Counting stays in this tab.

    Open Word counter
  3. Paste the text, or drop a .txt file

    Paste from the same draft you will submit. Counting a different copy is how people miss the cap.

  4. Read the matching stat

    Words for English. Characters for most forms. Characters with no spaces for many CN assignments. CJK characters each count as a word here, so do not use Words for a 800-字 paper.

    For Chinese homework use characters with no spaces, not Words.
    For Chinese homework use characters with no spaces, not Words.
  5. If there is a cap, trim and count again

    Delete, then look at the same row. Do not switch from words to characters halfway.

  6. Do not trust a different app's count for this form

    Word, Google Docs, and a web form often disagree. Count in the same place you will paste.

FAQ

How do I count words online?

Paste into cv.cm word count in this tab. Read Words. Nothing is uploaded.

What is the difference between words and characters?

Words split on spaces (and each CJK character counts as a word here). Characters count every letter, space, and punctuation.

How do I count Chinese characters?

Use characters with no spaces if the teacher wants 字数. Do not use Words for an 800-字 paper.

Is the text uploaded?

No. Closing the tab discards it.

Why doesn't it match Microsoft Word?

Each app splits words differently, especially with CJK, hyphens, and numbers. Count in the same tool as the cap.