numeral + measure word HSK 1
Traditional 兩個
two (of something) · two items
Meaning
This is the most common way to say 'two' when counting individual items or people in Mandarin. It combines 两 (two) with 个 (the general measure word). Unlike 二, which is used for counting abstractly or in sequences, 两 is always used before measure words.
Usage
This is extremely common in everyday speech when referring to two of anything that takes the measure word 个. Native speakers use this constantly when ordering food, talking about people, or counting objects. Never use 二个 - it sounds unnatural to native speakers.
Examples
- 01我有两个哥哥。.I have two older brothers.
- 02请给我两个苹果。.Please give me two apples.
Characters
Common collocations
- 两个人two people
- 两个小时two hours
- 两个月two months
- 这两个these two
Origin
两 originally meant 'a pair' or 'both', while 个 evolved from a character meaning 'bamboo' to become the most versatile classifier in modern Chinese.