How to write 两 (liǎng, “two”)
两 (liǎng), an HSK 1 character, means “two”, “both” and “some”. The traditional form is 兩, 8 strokes instead of 7. On its own it is an HSK 1 word; it also forms 两极 (“the two poles”), 两岸 (“bilateral”) and 两手 (“one's two hands”). Japanese reads it ryou, “two”.
- Pinyin
- liǎng
- Strokes
- 7
- HSK
- 1
- Radical
- 一 (“one”)
- Traditional
- 兩
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
As a top-bottom character it splits into 一 (“one”, the radical), stroke 1; 冂从, strokes 2–7, written the top first.
- top leftrightwards
- leftdownwards
- leftrightwards → downwards
- top leftdownwards
- centerdown and right
- topdownwards
- centerdown and right
Traditional form
- Simplified
- 两 · 7 strokes
- Traditional
- 兩 · 8 strokes · see its strokes
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Pinyin and meaning
| Pinyin | Meanings | Traditional | In words |
|---|---|---|---|
| liǎng third tone | two; both; some; a few; tael, unit of weight equal to 50 grams (modern) or 1⁄16 of a catty 斤 (jīn) (old) | 兩 | 两极 两岸 两手 两下子 |
- HSK 2025 syllabus
- level 1
- 2021 standard
- level 1
- HSK 2.0
- in a level 2 word
- Words with it
- 133 in CC-CEDICT
Words with 两
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 两 兩 | liǎng | two; both HSK 1 |
| 两极 兩極 | liǎngjí | the two poles; the north and south poles HSK 6 |
| 两岸 兩岸 | liǎng’àn | bilateral; both shores HSK 6 |
| 两手 兩手 | liǎngshǒu | one's two hands; two prongs HSK 7-9 |
| 两下子 兩下子 | liǎngxiàzi | a couple of times; to repeat the same HSK 7-9 |
| 两口子 兩口子 | liǎngkǒuzi | husband and wife HSK 7-9 |
| 一举两得 一舉兩得 | yìjǔ-liǎngdé | one action, two gains (idiom); two birds with one stone HSK 7-9 |
| 两栖 兩棲 | liǎngqī | amphibious; dual-talented HSK 7-9 |
| 两翼 兩翼 | liǎngyì | both wings; (military) both flanks HSK 7-9 |
| 三两 三兩 | sānliǎng | two or three |
HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).
Practice sheet
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HSK 1, in list order: