Traditional: 兩
liǎng HSK 2

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

我有两个苹果。
Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè píngguǒ.
I have two apples.
她买了两本书。
Tā mǎi le liǎng běn shū.
She bought two books.
我们两个人。
Wǒmen liǎng gè rén.
We are two people.
我有两个苹果。
Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè píngguǒ.
I have two apples.
她买了几本书。
Tā mǎi le jǐ běn shū.
She bought a couple of books.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 两 as 'a couple of' things—it's for counting pairs or groups. Remember it by the phrase '两个人' (two people), since people often come in pairs or couples.

📝 Usage Notes

Used in both spoken and written Chinese, in formal and informal contexts. Common when counting objects (e.g., two books), expressing age differences, or with units like weight, distance, or money. It must be followed by a measure word when used with nouns (e.g., 两个人 - two people).

📖 Grammar Points

Used with measure words: 两 + measure word + noun (e.g., 两辆车 - two cars). Can be used for approximate numbers: 两三天 (two or three days). In age comparisons: Subject + 比 + object + 大/小 + 两岁 (e.g., 我比我弟弟大两岁 - I am two years older than my younger brother).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 两 is often used in idioms and expressions, such as 两全其美 (to satisfy both sides). It also appears in traditional units like 两 (liǎng), a traditional Chinese weight unit (about 50 grams).

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 二 (èr), which is used for counting (一, 二, 三...), telephone numbers, or in mathematical contexts. 两 is used for quantity before nouns (e.g., 两个人 vs. 第二个人 - the second person).

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