Comparing "er" and "liang"

In Chinese, there are two words for "two." This is an introduction to the different uses of "2" in Chinese, namely 二 (èr) and 两 (liǎng).

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) does not generally occur with measure words by itself. Numbers like 十二 (12) and 二十二 (22) end with a "2" and can still be combined with measure words. In this case, 两 is not needed.

Examples

Here are some common examples of 二 (èr) in action:

• 第 二 #2; second
• 第 二 个 the second one
• 第 二 次 the second time
• 二 号 #2; the second (of the month)
• 二 号 线 Line 2 (of the metro)
• 二 楼 second floor
• 二 十 20
• 二 十 块 钱 20 RMB
• 二 十 二 22
• 二 十 二 个 人 twenty-two people
• 二 百 (note: 两百 is also acceptable.) 200

Uses of 两 (liǎng)

两 is used with measure word

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 人 two people
• 两 个 小时 two hours
• 两 分钟 two minutes
• 两 秒 two seconds
• 两 点 (Think of it as "two points on the clock," which is a quantity)2 o'clock
• 两 天 two days
• 两 个 星期 two weeks
• 两 个 月 two months
• 两 年 two years
• 两 次 two times / twice
• 两 块 钱 2 kuai / 2 RMB
• 两 百 (note: 二百 is also acceptable.) 200
• 两 千 2,000
• 两 万 20,000
• 他 们 两 个 人 一 起 走。 The two of them (both of them) walk together.
• 我 两 个 都 要。 I want both of them.

Sources and further reading

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 16-7) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 53)→buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (p. 28) →buy