HSK 1 grammar · new HSK syllabus
两 or 二: two
Use 两 before measure words (两个), and 二 when counting, in numbers and in dates.
Structure
- 两 + measure word + noun
- 二 in counting, numbers and dates
How it works
Before a measure word, “two” is 两: 两个人, 两本书, 两点 (two o’clock).
When counting (一、二、三), in larger numbers (十二, 二十), in dates (二月) and in ordinals (第二), use 二.
Examples
-
我有两个哥哥。
Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè gēge.
I have two older brothers.
-
现在两点。
Xiànzài liǎng diǎn.
It’s two o’clock.
-
他今年二十二岁。
Tā jīnnián èr shí èr suì.
He is twenty-two this year.
-
今天是二月二号。
Jīntiān shì èr yuè èr hào.
Today is the second of February.
-
这是我第二次来北京。
Zhè shì wǒ dì èr cì lái Běijīng.
This is my second time in Beijing.
Words in these examples (20)
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is | HSK 1 |
| 两 | liǎng | two (before a measure word) | HSK 1 |
| 个 | gè | (general measure word) | HSK 1 |
| 哥哥 | gēge | older brother | HSK 1 |
| 现在 | xiànzài | now | HSK 1 |
| 点 | diǎn | o'clock; (measure word) a little | HSK 1 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 今年 | jīnnián | this year | HSK 1 |
| 二 | èr | two | HSK 1 |
| 十 | shí | ten | HSK 1 |
| 岁 | suì | years (of age) | HSK 1 |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 月 | yuè | month; moon | HSK 1 |
| 号 | hào | day of the month; number | HSK 1 |
| 这 | zhè | this | HSK 1 |
| 第 | dì | (before a number) -th, as in 第一 "first" | HSK 1 |
| 次 | cì | time (occurrence), as in 三次 "three times" | HSK 2 |
| 来 | lái | to come | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗二个苹果
✓两个苹果
Before a measure word: 两.
-
✗两十
✓二十
In numbers like 20, use 二.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 我要 杯茶。
2. 今天是十 号。
3. 我们 点见。