Chinese Conversation · Level 12
90 words
Chinese word
两
Pronunciation
Pinyinliǎng
Meaning
- numbertwo
Example
会议有两个人参加。huì yì yǒu liǎng gè rén cān jiā
There are two people attending the meeting.
More examples
我有两本书要还。wǒ yǒu liáng běn shū yào huán
I have two books to return.
Core concept
The everyday spoken number for a pair or a count of two before a measure word.
Common phrases
两个人liǎng gè rén
two people
两本书liáng běn shū
two books
两点钟liáng diǎn zhōng
two o'clock
Similar words
二èr: Names the number two itself in formal language, writing, dates, or number systems.
两个liǎng gè: Counts two people or things as a phrase using the common general measure word.
Definition in Chinese
表示数量二，常用于口语和量词前，用来指两件事物或两个人的数量。biǎo shì shù liàng èr cháng yòng yú kóu yǔ hé liàng cí qián yòng lái zhǐ liǎng jiàn shì wù huò liǎng gè rén de shù liàng
Word origin
The simplified form 两 (liǎng, "two") comes from traditional writing and is now the everyday spoken form used before measure words to count two.
Usage tips
- For people and ordinary counted objects, spoken Chinese often uses 两 (liǎng, "two") before the measure word, while 二 (èr, "two") is common in mathematics, dates, and identification numbers.
Other meanings
- two peoplenumber