(liǎng) - two, a couple of in Mandarin
liǎngTraditional: 兩
Translation
two, a couple of
Word origin
An ancient pictograph thought to depict a pair of balanced objects or a yoke, used for the number two before a measure word, as opposed to 二 in counting.
- Origin
- pictograph
- Root
- depiction of a balanced pair
Stroke order
两
Examples
。
I have two older brothers.
。
Please give me two cups of tea.
。
The two of them are good friends.
。
There are two sides to this matter.
。
I will come again in a couple of days.
两 (liǎng) means two and is the form used before a measure word, such as 两个 (two of something), whereas 二 is used for counting and figures. It can also mean a couple of in loose usage.
Where this fits
Used in
Stories
(1)Grammar articles
(21)Mandarin Advanced Grammar (C1-C2 / HSK 6+): Chengyu, Classical Remnants, and Register
Approximation and Rounding in Mandarin: 左右, 大概, 差不多, 几 and 来 for About, Around and Roughly
Mandarin Grammar Cheatsheet: The Essentials, One Page
Mandarin 除了...以外: One Frame, Two Opposite Meanings
Chinese Measure Words (Mandarin Classifiers): The Core Dozen, Which One Your Noun Takes, and the Safe Default
Asking How + Adjective in Mandarin with 多: 多高, 多远, 多长, 多大
The Double 了 Sentence in Mandarin: 我学了三年中文了 and the Continuing-Action Pattern
Duration Complements in Mandarin (时量补语): How to Say How Long an Action Lasts
The Mandarin Durative 着 (zhe): Marking a State That Continues (门开着, 拿着书, 笑着说)
Mandarin Existential and Presentative Sentences: 有, 出现, 发生 and Why New Things Go After the Verb
Formal Mandarin Connectives: 然而, 因此, 于是 and 尽管 (The Written Register)
The Experiential 过 (guò) in Mandarin: Saying You Have Ever Done Something
The Two 了 in Mandarin: Completion 了 After the Verb vs Change-of-State 了 at the End
Mandarin Numbers, Time, Dates, and Currency: From 1 to 1,000,000, the 二/两 Split, and Time-Before-Verb
Mandarin Possession with 有 (yǒu): To Have
The Mandarin 是…的 (shì...de) Construction: Highlighting When, Where, and How Something Happened
Topic-Comment Structure in Mandarin: Fronting 这本书我看过 and Why Word Order Bends
Mandarin Verb Reduplication: 看看, 看一看, 休息休息 and the 一下 Alternative
The Mandarin 于 (yú) Family: 对于, 关于, 由于, 至于, 属于, 位于, 终于
The Mandarin 者 (zhě) Suffix: 作者, 读者, 前者, and Naming the One Who Does It
Mandarin 之 (zhī): 之一, 之间, 之后, 之中, 总之 and the Written Ancestor of 的
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两: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "两" (two, a couple of): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 30.