CogView-4 is the image generation model inside GLM-4.5, made by Zhipu AI. It is the first large AI model that truly understands Chinese prompts and can render Chinese text inside images. This review covers everything you need to know.
What Makes CogView-4 Different?
Most AI image generators struggle with Chinese. You type a prompt in Chinese, and the result looks wrong. CogView-4 solves this problem.
Key advantages of CogView-4:
- Native Chinese understanding — No translation needed. Chinese prompts work directly.
- Chinese text rendering — It can write Chinese characters inside images correctly.
- Cultural context — It knows what "新年快乐" (Happy New Year) means and draws appropriate imagery.
- Fast generation — Images appear in 5-10 seconds.
Chinese Prompt Test
We tested CogView-4 with this Chinese prompt:
一位穿着汉服的年轻女子站在樱花树下，手持纸伞，柔和的阳光透过花瓣洒落
The result was accurate. The woman wore traditional Hanfu. The cherry blossoms looked authentic. No translation artifacts. Compare this to DALL-E 3, which often misinterprets cultural clothing when given Chinese prompts.
Chinese Text Rendering Test
This is where CogView-4 truly shines. We asked it to create a poster with this prompt:
电影海报，标题"永不言弃"，副标题"2026年度励志大片"，深蓝色背景，金色文字
The result displayed both the title "永不言弃" and subtitle correctly. The characters were sharp and readable. This is nearly impossible with Midjourney or DALL-E 3, which scramble non-Latin text.
CogView-4 vs DALL-E 3 vs Midjourney
Here is how the three models compare:
| Feature | CogView-4 | DALL-E 3 | Midjourney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese prompts | Excellent | Translation needed | Translation needed |
| Chinese text in image | Accurate | Poor | Very poor |
| Photorealism | Excellent | Excellent | Good |
| Speed | 5-10 sec | 10-20 sec | 30-60 sec |
| Free tier | 3 images/day | None | 25 images trial |
| Price after free | $0.03/image | $0.04/image | $10/month |
Winner for Chinese users: CogView-4. If you create content in Chinese—posters, social media graphics, marketing materials—this is the only model that works reliably.
Best Prompt Tips for CogView-4
Based on our testing, here are tips to get the best results:
- Use Chinese for Chinese content — Write your prompt in Chinese when creating Chinese-themed images.
- Put text in quotes — For text rendering, wrap the text in quotes: 海报上写着"限时优惠"
- Be specific about style — Add style keywords like 高清, 电影感, 工笔画, 水墨风格
- Describe lighting — Chinese prompts support 暖色调, 逆光, 柔和阳光 etc.
Example Prompts to Try
Try these prompts in our generator:
Movie Poster (Chinese):
"悬疑电影海报，标题'无人生还'，迷雾森林背景，一个神秘人影站在远处，冷色调，电影质感"
Product Photo (Chinese):
"护肤品广告，白色瓷瓶，金色盖子，瓶身印有'焕颜精华'字样，简约白色背景，专业产品摄影"
Traditional Art (Chinese):
"水墨画风格，山水画，远山近水，一叶扁舟，老翁独钓，留白构图，传统国画意境"
Who Should Use CogView-4?
CogView-4 is ideal for:
- Content creators — Making Chinese social media graphics and thumbnails
- Marketers — Creating product images with Chinese text
- Designers — Generating concepts for Chinese-market campaigns
- Anyone — Who wants to use their native language without translation
Limitations
CogView-4 is excellent for Chinese, but not perfect:
- Complex calligraphy may have minor stroke errors
- Very long text strings (10+ characters) may get truncated
- Abstract English typography still favors DALL-E 3
Try It Free
See the difference yourself. Go to our free generator and paste any Chinese prompt. You get 3 free images per day—no credit card required.
CogView-4 is the breakthrough Chinese speakers have been waiting for. Finally, an AI that speaks your language.