Mandarin · Chapter 22 · Lesson 9 · Common mistake
二 or 两?
Mandarin has two words for two, and a measure word decides which.
The rule
二 (er4) is the NUMBER two: counting, dates, phone numbers, and the second of anything. 两 (liang3) is two THINGS, and it is what goes in front of a measure word: 两个人. Say 二个人 and you have counted rather than described.
Pick the right one
0/6Pick the right one: 二 or 两.
我有个朋友。 (I have two friends)
wǒ yǒu ___ gè péng yǒu 。 (I have two friends)
一、、三。 (one, two, three)
yī 、___、 sān 。 (one, two, three)
点了。 (it is two o'clock)
___ diǎn le 。 (it is two o'clock)
第个。 (the second one)
dì ___ gè 。 (the second one)
我有本。 (I have two of them)
wǒ yǒu ___ běn 。 (I have two of them)
十。 (twelve)
shí ___。 (twelve)