JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<span class="clickable">"This is s"<strong>xy</strong>"z"<strong>ample</strong>" text"</span>

JavaScript

$(".clickable").click(function(e) {
    s = window.getSelection();
    var range = s.getRangeAt(0);
    var node = s.anchorNode;
    while (range.toString().indexOf(' ') != 0) {
        range.setStart(node, (range.startOffset - 1));
    }
    range.setStart(node, range.startOffset + 1);
    do {
        range.setEnd(node, range.endOffset + 1);

    } while (range.toString().indexOf(' ') == -1 && range.toString().trim() != 
    '' && range.endOffset < node.length);
    var str = range.toString().trim();
    alert(str);
    });