二
èr/ˀɤɻ⁵¹/
The English word 'two' is translated into Chinese using 二 (èr).
Meaning: cardinal number 2 (num)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 二 | èr | /ˀɤɻ⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ɚ²¹³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 二 | jī, lī | /zi³³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Zhangzhou, Changtai, Zhangpu, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Penang, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Sanxia, Magong) /d͡zi²²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Zhangzhou, Changtai, Zhangpu, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Penang, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Sanxia, Magong) |
Hokkien |
| 兩 / 两 | nn̄g | Hokkien |
The word 'two' can refer to the cardinal number 2 or the digit/figure 2 itself.
Which one should you use?
Use 二 for mathematical counting, phone numbers or ordinal numbers such as 'second'. However, use 两 when counting physical objects with a measure word.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The Dungan forms are эр and лён. In Hokkien, the forms are 二 and 兩 / 两.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing 'two' of a noun, you must use 两 followed by a measure word, rather than 二.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for 二 is jī, lī. The IPA is /ˀɤɻ⁵¹/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 二 instead of 两 when followed by a measure word to count objects, such as saying 二个.
Did you know?
- The character for 'chariot' 輛 is actually a derivative of 兩, literally meaning 'that which is paired' because it refers to a set of wheels.
Examples in context
- 第二课容易。Lesson Two is easy.This sentence is useful for seeing 二 used in an ordinal context (Lesson Two).Tatoeba #10696066 by GlossaMatik, translation #276007 by CK
- 一，二，三！One, two, three!This sentence shows 二 used in a simple counting sequence.Tatoeba #13964382 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #12938295 by vxern
- 一加二等于三。One plus two equals three.This sentence shows 二 used in a mathematical equation.Tatoeba #475764 by biglion, translation #475773 by biglion
- 我(wǒ)们(men)俩(liǎ)去(qù)吃(chī)饭(fàn)The two of us are going to eat
- 请(qǐng)给(gěi)我(wǒ)两(liǎng)杯(bēi)水(shuǐ)Please give me two cups of water
- 42 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jiayi and Zhiqiang are ordering drinks at a cafe.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我们要两杯咖啡，对吗？Wǒmen yào liǎng bēi kāfēi, duì ma?We want two cups of coffee, right?
- 志强 Zhiqiang对，但我只要二号的。Duì, dàn wǒ zhǐ yào èr hào de.Right, but I only want number two.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好的，那我点两杯二号。Hǎo de, nà wǒ diǎn liǎng bēi èr hào.Okay, then I will order two number twos.
- 志强 Zhiqiang太好了，谢谢你。Tài hǎo le, xièxiè nǐ.Great, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “two” translations and entries 二, 二, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 二, 兩, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
