two (with measure words) in Chinese

How to write 两

Animated stroke order. Tap a character to replay its stroke order.

两 is listed in the official HSK vocabulary at HSK 1. The beginner band covers the first, most essential words every learner needs.

两 in a sentence

• 我wǒ有yǒu两liǎng个gè苹píng果guǒ。

  I have two apples.

• 请qǐng给gěi我wǒ两liǎng杯bēi水shuǐ。

  Please give me two glasses of water.

• 他tā们men两liǎng个gè都dōu是shì学xué生shēng。

  Both of them are students.

两 vs 二 vs 俩

Similar and easily confused words, and how they differ.

• 二 èr two

  二 is for counting, ordinals and digits — 一二三, 二楼. 两 is 'two' before measure words — 两个人, 两本书.

• 俩 liǎ the two of...

  俩 = 两 + 个 contracted — 我们俩 'the two of us'. Never add a measure word after 俩; it's built in.