二 èr and 兩 liǎng - OneDotDot Chinese

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The difference between 二 èr and 兩/两 liǎng

In Chinese, both 二 èr and 兩两 liǎng mean “two.” However, we use them in completely different ways. When using 兩两 liǎng, it is placed in front of measure words to express quantity, whereas 二 èr is only used when counting numbers. The best way to remember is to use 兩两 liǎng as “quantity two,” and besides that, just use 二 èr.

2liǎng個ge人rén2liǎng个ge人rén Two people
(Quantity 2 + measure word + people)

2liǎng本běn書shū2liǎng本běn书shū Two books
(Quantity 2 + measure word + books)

2liǎng張zhāng紙zhǐ2liǎng张zhāng纸zhǐ Two papers
(Quantity 2 + measure word + papers)

2èr號hào2èr号hào The number 2

3sān分fēn之zhī2èr3sān分fēn之zhī2èr Two-thirds

1yī, 2èr, 3sān, 4sì1yī, 2èr, 3sān, 4sì One, two, three, four

2liǎng歲suì2liǎng岁suì 2 years old

1shí2èr歲suì1shí2èr岁suì 12 years old
Do not use 兩两 liǎng here because it actually means “quantity twelve.”

When Counting Numbers

	China	Taiwan
2	二 èr	二 èr
20	二十 èrshí	二十 èrshí
200	兩两百 liǎng bǎi or 二百 èr bǎi	兩两百 liǎng bǎi
2000	兩两千 liǎng qiān or 二千 èr qiān	兩两千 liǎng qiān
20000	兩萬两万 liǎng wàn	兩萬两万 liǎng wàn
22222	兩萬两万二千二百二十二 liǎngwàn èrqiān èrbǎi èrshí èr	兩萬两万兩两千兩两百二十二 liǎngwàn liǎngqiān liǎngbǎi èrshí èr

Note: In Chinese, 10,000 is considered a measure word, similar to how “thousand” and “hundred” are also measure words in English. Therefore, 20,000 is expressed as quantity 2 + measure word wàn. The same idea applies to “thousand” and “hundred.”

I am not sure why China use “èrbǎi” instead of “liǎngbǎi” for 200, but if you know the reason, please share it in the comments.

When Telling the Time:

兩liǎng點diǎn两liǎng点diǎn　2:00

十二shíèr點diǎn十二shíèr点diǎn　12:00

零líng二èr分fēn零líng二èr分fēn　00:02

二èr十shí二èr分fēn二èr十shí二èr分fēn　00:22

Use 二 èr to Express “Second”

第二dìèr第二dìèr The second

第二dìèr個ge第二dìèr个ge The second one

第二dìèr次cì第二dìèr次cì The second time

第二dìèr天tiān第二dìèr天tiān The second day

二èr樓lóu二èr楼lóu The second floor

二月 vs 兩個月/两个月

二èr月yuè二èr月yuè is February

兩liǎng個ge月yuè两liǎng个ge月yuè means ”two months”

FYI
Two can mean ‘double’, ‘twinned’ and ‘again’. It is an auspicious number in Chinese culture because Chinese people believe that ‘good things come in pairs.’ However, the number ‘two’ has an interesting use in different Chinese dialects, but it is mostly negative. 二 èr is used as an adjective to ironically describe those who are arrogant or thoughtless. So when someone calls you 二百五 Èrbǎi wǔ, an idiot or 二愣子 èr lèngzi, a stupid person, it is not a compliment.

Do you like it? 🙂

二 and 兩