diff --git a/src/buffer.rs b/src/buffer.rs
index e51f20e..77756f3 100644
--- a/src/buffer.rs
+++ b/src/buffer.rs
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ impl Buffer {
         let y = pos.y as u16;
 
         for grapheme in content.graphemes(true) {
-            let width = widthdb.width(grapheme);
+            let width = widthdb.grapheme_width(grapheme);
             self.write_grapheme(pos.x, y, width, grapheme, style);
             pos.x += width as i32;
         }
diff --git a/src/frame.rs b/src/frame.rs
index eef783e..762246a 100644
--- a/src/frame.rs
+++ b/src/frame.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,19 @@ impl Frame {
         self.set_cursor(None);
     }
 
-    pub fn width(&mut self, s: &str) -> u8 {
+    /// Determine the width of a grapheme.
+    ///
+    /// If the width has not been measured yet, it is estimated using the
+    /// Unicode Standard Annex #11.
+    pub fn grapheme_width(&mut self, grapheme: &str) -> u8 {
+        self.widthdb.grapheme_width(grapheme)
+    }
+
+    /// Determine the width of a string based on its graphemes.
+    ///
+    /// If the width of a grapheme has not been measured yet, it is estimated
+    /// using the Unicode Standard Annex #11.
+    pub fn width(&mut self, s: &str) -> usize {
         self.widthdb.width(s)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/widthdb.rs b/src/widthdb.rs
index e3605c3..9c91879 100644
--- a/src/widthdb.rs
+++ b/src/widthdb.rs
@@ -16,18 +16,32 @@ pub struct WidthDB {
 }
 
 impl WidthDB {
+    /// Determine the width of a grapheme.
+    ///
+    /// If the width has not been measured yet, it is estimated using the
+    /// Unicode Standard Annex #11.
+    pub fn grapheme_width(&mut self, grapheme: &str) -> u8 {
+        assert_eq!(Some(grapheme), grapheme.graphemes(true).next());
+        if let Some(width) = self.known.get(grapheme) {
+            *width
+        } else {
+            self.requested.insert(grapheme.to_string());
+            grapheme.width() as u8
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Determine the width of a string based on its graphemes.
     ///
     /// If the width of a grapheme has not been measured yet, it is estimated
     /// using the Unicode Standard Annex #11.
-    pub fn width(&mut self, s: &str) -> u8 {
-        let mut total = 0;
+    pub fn width(&mut self, s: &str) -> usize {
+        let mut total: usize = 0;
         for grapheme in s.graphemes(true) {
             total += if let Some(width) = self.known.get(grapheme) {
-                *width
+                (*width).into()
             } else {
                 self.requested.insert(grapheme.to_string());
-                grapheme.width() as u8
+                grapheme.width()
             };
         }
         total