[ Linguistic Bits 14 ]2 or 2 “二”还是“两”？| Learn Chinese with Yoyo Mo

今天我们聊聊“二”和“两”，

jīn tiān | wǒ men | liáo liáo | “èr” | hé | “liǎng”

Today we’ll talk about "èr" (two) and "liǎng" (two).

这是不是个让你困惑的问题呢？

zhè | shì bù shì | gè | ràng | nǐ | kùn huò | de | wèn tí | ne

Is this a confusing question for you?

我的孩子学会说话后，

wǒ | de | hái zi | xué huì | shuō huà | hòu

After my children learned to speak,

只会用“二”，

zhǐ | huì | yòng | “èr”

they only use "èr",

比如“二个苹果”，

bǐ rú | “èr gè | píng guǒ”

for example, "èr gè píng guǒ" (two apples).

但是，我们大人并不会去批评他们。

dàn shì | wǒ men | dà rén | bìng | bù huì | qù | pī píng | tā men

However, we adults don’t criticize them for it.

他们每天反复地听大人们是怎么说的，

tā men | měi tiān | fǎn fù | de | tīng | dà rén men | shì | zěn me | shuō | de

They listen repeatedly to how adults speak every day,

然后就慢慢学会了。

rán hòu | jiù | màn màn | xué huì | le

and then gradually learn the correct usage.

所以，你不用非常刻意去区分，

suǒ yǐ | nǐ | bù yòng | fēi cháng | kè yì | qù | qū fēn

So you don’t need to deliberately distinguish between them—

只需要重复听重复模仿就行啦。

zhǐ | xū yào | chóng fù | tīng | chóng fù | mó fǎng | jiù xíng | la

you just need to listen and imitate repeatedly.

首先，必须用“二”的情况，

shǒu xiān | bì xū | yòng | “èr” | de | qíng kuàng

First, situations where "èr" must be used:

第一，数学计算，

dì yī | shù xué | jì suàn

1. Mathematical calculations:

2+2=5，

èr | jiā | èr | děng yú | wǔ

2 plus 2 equals 5,

2%，

èr | bǎi fēn zhī | èr

2 percent,

20,20万，

èr shí | èr shí | wàn

20, 200,000.

第二，编号，

dì èr | biān hào

2. Numbering:

2楼，

èr | lóu

2nd floor,

二年级，

èr | nián jí

2nd grade,

102房间，

yī líng èr | fáng jiān

Room 102.

第三，序数，

dì sān | xù shù

3. Ordinal numbers:

二等奖，

dì èr | jiǎng

second prize,

第二名

dì èr | míng

second place.

第四，一些成语里，

dì sì | yī xiē | chéng yǔ | lǐ

4. In some idioms:

比如独一无二。

bǐ rú | dú yī wú èr

for example, "dú yī wú èr" (unique, one of a kind).

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