<p>It is very likely because you are still learning.</p>

<p>When I started learning I had the same experience. At a regular font size, some characters that were different looked indistinguishable. As you become more familiar with the characters, you will find that you are comfortable reading them at smaller font sizes.</p>

<p>My suggestion is to use whatever size feels most comfortable to you. As you become more familiar with the words, the larger font sizes will probably begin to feel too large.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-20T22:53:24.460Z
2013-01-20T22:53:24.460Z
James
<p>This doesn't solve the root issue of not being familiar with enough characters, but if you often have trouble reading small Chinese text online, you can install a Chrome/Firefox extension called Hanzisize which will allow you to enlarge Chinese Characters without changing other elements on the page.</p>
<p>Chrome:<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hanzisize/jcljolcajgicemckjlgndbmoaeoobodk" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hanzisize/jcljolcajgicemckjlgndbmoaeoobodk</a>
Firefox:<a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/hanzisize/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/hanzisize/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-25T09:10:24.760Z
2020-08-25T09:10:24.760Z
Ryan P
<p>IMHO if you use fonts at the same size people use them in China, you'll strain your eyes a lot (urban legend has it that the tiny characters are the main reason so many studious Chinese and Japanese sport glasses, but IMMV).</p>

<p>I've checked my browser settings - 16pt. When I want to learn a character/word, e.g. in Anki etc - it's 24pt++</p>

<p>If your question is purely about Chinese versions of Word - it's 12pt.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-09T19:37:59.467Z
I suspect you [may confuse](https://www.w3.org/Style/Examples/007/units.en.html) the common default browser size 16p**x** (12p**t**) with 16p**t** (21⅓ p**x**)
gnucchi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T02:36:15.963Z
2018-09-13T02:36:15.963Z
Vitaly Osipov
<p>The default font size in MS Word(or other soft) is 12pt, and that's quite ok to be read.</p>

<p>If you want to make it easier, 14pt is quite acceptable.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2012-05-16T02:02:06.983Z
2018-09-13T02:39:37.550Z
2018-09-13T02:39:37.550Z
lol.Wen
<p>I realize this sounds like a very subjective question, so I will try to ask it very carefully:</p>

<p>I'm learning to speak, read, and write Mandarin. A lot of times (particularly on the web or in e-mail) I read or write text that has English and simplified Mandarin characters intertwined. It seems to me that the font size that is comfortable for reading English is too small for reading Mandarin. I'm not sure if this is because I'm still learning, but it seems to me that Mandarin characters have far more complexity than English characters. I end up jacking up the font size so that I can visually resolve the detail in the Chinese characters.</p>

<p>My question is: in the US, a "default" font size in many cases is 11pt or 12pt. (E.g., if you start up Word, it's "body" style is around 11pt or 12pt.) Do Chinese readers use the same font sizes by default? If I start a Chinese version of Word, will the characters be in the 11-12pt range?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-05-16T13:14:48.770Z
I've wondered this myself too. I also need characters to be displayed quite large (~14pt) so I can make out the detail.
Cocowalla
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-17T18:06:01.793Z
Good question, I guess the distance from the monitor may also play a role.
Timo Huovinen
<mandarin><simplified-characters><reading>
What font size for reading simplified characters on screen?
# What font size for reading simplified characters on screen?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-05-15)

I realize this sounds like a very subjective question, so I will try to ask it very carefully:

I'm learning to speak, read, and write Mandarin. A lot of times (particularly on the web or in e-mail) I read or write text that has English and simplified Mandarin characters intertwined. It seems to me that the font size that is comfortable for reading English is too small for reading Mandarin. I'm not sure if this is because I'm still learning, but it seems to me that Mandarin characters have far more complexity than English characters. I end up jacking up the font size so that I can visually resolve the detail in the Chinese characters.

My question is: in the US, a "default" font size in many cases is 11pt or 12pt. (E.g., if you start up Word, it's "body" style is around 11pt or 12pt.) Do Chinese readers use the same font sizes by default? If I start a Chinese version of Word, will the characters be in the 11-12pt range?

**Tags:** mandarin, simplified-characters, reading

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I've wondered this myself too. I also need characters to be displayed quite large (~14pt) so I can make out the detail.  
> **username_2**: Good question, I guess the distance from the monitor may also play a role.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2012-05-16. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

The default font size in MS Word(or other soft) is 12pt, and that's quite ok to be read.

If you want to make it easier, 14pt is quite acceptable.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-01-20. Score: 7

It is very likely because you are still learning.

When I started learning I had the same experience. At a regular font size, some characters that were different looked indistinguishable. As you become more familiar with the characters, you will find that you are comfortable reading them at smaller font sizes.

My suggestion is to use whatever size feels most comfortable to you. As you become more familiar with the words, the larger font sizes will probably begin to feel too large.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-08-25. Score: 1

This doesn't solve the root issue of not being familiar with enough characters, but if you often have trouble reading small Chinese text online, you can install a Chrome/Firefox extension called Hanzisize which will allow you to enlarge Chinese Characters without changing other elements on the page.

Chrome:<https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hanzisize/jcljolcajgicemckjlgndbmoaeoobodk>
Firefox:<https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/hanzisize/>


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### Answer by username_5 on 2018-09-13. Score: 0

IMHO if you use fonts at the same size people use them in China, you'll strain your eyes a lot (urban legend has it that the tiny characters are the main reason so many studious Chinese and Japanese sport glasses, but IMMV).

I've checked my browser settings - 16pt. When I want to learn a character/word, e.g. in Anki etc - it's 24pt++

If your question is purely about Chinese versions of Word - it's 12pt.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: I suspect you [may confuse](https://www.w3.org/Style/Examples/007/units.en.html) the common default browser size 16p**x** (12p**t**) with 16p**t** (21⅓ p**x**)  

---

