Why can't we understand text without subvocalizating it?
In japanese language, kanjis are more than phonemes but represent an idea. For instance, both tree and spirit have the same sound (ki) and can be written with the hiragana "letter" き. But when kanjis are used tree is 木 while spirit is 気.
Therefore, it is possible to read without subvocalizing. We can read as if it was graphics.
So, when using kanji is much more like text > undestanding.
But is hard to think doing it purely because we use many words that have no physical meaning such as "as", "such", "meaning" etc.