兩 (liǎng) - Two, both, a unit of weight (tael) & also used to indicate a pair or couple.

兩Tone 3

liǎng ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 一

梁嘹

兩 · liǎng

Two, both, a unit of weight (tael);

also used to indicate a pair or couple.

Two, both, a unit of weight (tael)also used to indicate a pair or couple.

Usage highlights

Two peopleBoth sidesTwo countriesA coupleTaelAmbiguous

Synonyms

  • 二— two (numerical)
  • 双— pair, double
  • 对— couple, pair

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I bought two apples (兩個蘋果).
  • They both agreed (兩人都同意).
  • This weighs three taels (三兩重).
  • The two sides reached an agreement (雙方達成協議).

Collocations

  • Two people(兩人)
  • Both sides(兩邊)
  • Two countries(兩國)
  • A couple(一對)
  • Tael (a unit of weight)(兩)
  • Ambiguous(兩可)

Idioms

  • In two minds(三心兩意)
  • Both sides suffer(兩敗俱傷)
  • Equally matched(勢均力敵)
  • Caught in a dilemma(進退兩難)
  • Weigh both sides(兩全其美)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used as a unit of weight in China, known as the 'tael', which was part of the traditional Chinese measurement system.
  • In Chinese culture, the number two often represents balance, pairs, and harmony, as seen in concepts like yin and yang.
  • The character is frequently used in idioms and phrases to denote duality or two opposing aspects.

FAQ