diff --git a/USAGE.md b/USAGE.md
index c6b1b19c8..217b7ff0d 100644
--- a/USAGE.md
+++ b/USAGE.md
@@ -1854,6 +1854,9 @@ int nccell_duplicate(struct ncplane* n, nccell* targ, const cell* c);
 // Release resources held by the cell 'c'.
 void nccell_release(struct ncplane* n, nccell* c);
 
+// Get the number of columns occupied by 'c'.
+int nccell_width(const struct ncplane* n, const nccell* c);
+
 #define NCSTYLE_MASK      0x03fful
 #define NCSTYLE_STANDOUT  0x0080ul
 #define NCSTYLE_UNDERLINE 0x0040ul
diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_cell.3.md b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_cell.3.md
index dd442ce52..0fd35efd2 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_cell.3.md
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_cell.3.md
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ typedef struct nccell {
 
 **void nccell_release(struct ncplane* ***n***, nccell* ***c***);**
 
+**int nccell_width(const struct ncplane* ***n***, const nccell* ***c***);**
+
 **void nccell_styles_set(nccell* ***c***, unsigned ***stylebits***);**
 
 **unsigned nccell_styles(const nccell* ***c***);**
@@ -160,6 +162,9 @@ less than, equal to, or more than ***c2***, respectively.
 **nccell_extended_gcluster** returns **NULL** if called on a sprixel (see
 **notcurses_visual(3)**.
 
+**nccell_width** returns the number of columns occupied by ***c***, according
+to **wcwidth(3)***. **ncstrwidth** is an equivalent for strings.
+
 # NOTES
 
 **cell** was renamed to **nccell** in Notcurses 2.2.0, so as not to bleed such
@@ -173,4 +178,5 @@ have been renamed to start with **nccell**.
 **notcurses_channels(3)**,
 **notcurses_plane(3)**,
 **notcurses_output(3)**,
-**notcurses_visual(3)**
+**notcurses_visual(3)**,
+**wcwidth(3)**
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 65ae2960d..d74852022 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -749,6 +749,10 @@ nccell_wide_left_p(const nccell* c){
 // returns NULL if called on a pixel graphic.
 API const char* nccell_extended_gcluster(const struct ncplane* n, const nccell* c);
 
+// return the number of columns occupied by 'c'. returns -1 if passed a
+// sprixcell. see ncstrwidth() for an equivalent for multiple EGCs.
+API int nccell_width(const struct ncplane* n, const nccell* c);
+
 // copy the UTF8-encoded EGC out of the nccell. the result is not tied to any
 // ncplane, and persists across erases / destruction.
 ALLOC static inline char*
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index 55f64ef07..ef254930c 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -1450,6 +1450,16 @@ void scroll_down(ncplane* n){
   }
 }
 
+int nccell_width(const ncplane* n, const nccell* c){
+  const char* egc = nccell_extended_gcluster(n, c);
+  if(egc == NULL){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  int cols;
+  utf8_egc_len(egc, &cols);
+  return cols;
+}
+
 int nccell_load(ncplane* n, nccell* c, const char* gcluster){
   int cols;
   int bytes = utf8_egc_len(gcluster, &cols);