In Chinese, there are two words for "two." They are 二 (èr) and 两 (liǎng), and each is used in different circumstances.
The digit "2" is 二 (èr). This is used generally in numbers, when counting to ten, giving out a phone number, and so on.
Unlike 两 (liǎng), 二 (èr) is not used to say there are "two" of something, and does not generally occur with measure words by itself. Numbers like 十二 (12) (shí-èr) and 二十二 (22) (èrshí-èr) end with a "2" and can still be combined with measure words. In those cases, 两 (liǎng) is not needed.
第 二
dì-èr
#2; second
第 二 个
dì-èr gè
the second one
第 二 次
dì-èr cì
the second time
二月
Èryuè
February (the second month)
二 号
èr hào
#2; the second (of the month)
二 号 线
èr hào xiàn
Line 2 (of the metro)
二 楼
èr lóu
second floor
二 十
èrshí
20
二 十 块 钱
èrshí kuài qián
20 RMB
二 十 二 个 人
èrshí-èr ge rén
twenty-two people
Here are some common examples of 两 (liǎng) in action:
liǎng ge xiǎoshí
two hours
两 点
liǎng diǎn
2 o'clock
两 天
liǎng tiān
two days
两 个 星期
liǎng ge xīngqī
two weeks
两 个 月
liǎng ge yuè
two months
两 年
liǎng nián
two years
两 次
liǎng cì
two times / twice
两 块 钱
liǎng kuài qián
2 kuai / 2 RMB
两百 note: 二百 (èrbǎi) is also acceptable.
èrbǎi
200
两千
liǎng qiān
2,000
我 两 个 都 要 。
Wǒ liǎng ge dōu yào.
I want both of them.
Uses of 二 (èr)
二 is used in numbers
The digit "2" is 二 (èr). This is used generally in numbers, when counting to ten, giving out a phone number, and so on.
Unlike 两 (liǎng), 二 (èr) is not used to say there are "two" of something, and does not generally occur with measure words by itself. Numbers like 十二 (12) (shí-èr) and 二十二 (22) (èrshí-èr) end with a "2" and can still be combined with measure words. In those cases, 两 (liǎng) is not needed.
Examples
Here are some common examples of 二 (èr) in action:第 二
dì-èr
#2; second
第 二 个
dì-èr gè
the second one
第 二 次
dì-èr cì
the second time
二月
Èryuè
February (the second month)
二 号
èr hào
#2; the second (of the month)
二 号 线
èr hào xiàn
Line 2 (of the metro)
二 楼
èr lóu
second floor
二 十
èrshí
20
二 十 块 钱
èrshí kuài qián
20 RMB
二 十 二 个 人
èrshí-èr ge rén
twenty-two people
Uses of 两 (liǎng)
两 is used with measure words
When specifying quantities (and using measure words to do it), 两 (liǎng) is used. This is when you want to say "two of something" or "both."Here are some common examples of 两 (liǎng) in action:
Examples
两 个 小时liǎng ge xiǎoshí
two hours
两 点
liǎng diǎn
2 o'clock
两 天
liǎng tiān
two days
两 个 星期
liǎng ge xīngqī
two weeks
两 个 月
liǎng ge yuè
two months
两 年
liǎng nián
two years
两 次
liǎng cì
two times / twice
两 块 钱
liǎng kuài qián
2 kuai / 2 RMB
两百 note: 二百 (èrbǎi) is also acceptable.
èrbǎi
200
两千
liǎng qiān
2,000
我 两 个 都 要 。
Wǒ liǎng ge dōu yào.
I want both of them.
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