2 in Chinese = 二 (èr)

The number 2 in Chinese is pronounced "ar" (like the pirate sound "arr", with a falling tone), written in pinyin as "èr", and the character is 二.

Quick Answer

Pronunciation

Èr (二) uses Mandarin's fourth tone—the "falling tone." Your voice starts high and drops sharply down.

Step by step:

1. Start at a high pitch
2. Drop your voice sharply and firmly down
3. Say "ar" (like a pirate's "arr") with that sharp downward motion

Think of it like giving a firm command or expressing frustration—short and decisive.

Common mistakes:

• Rising at the end instead of falling
• Making it too gentle—the 4th tone should be sharp and strong
• Pronouncing it like English "are"—it should have the "r" sound from the back of your throat

The Character 二

The Chinese character 二 is the second simplest character, consisting of two horizontal strokes. It visually represents the concept of "two" with two lines.

In traditional Chinese, you'll see the same character 二. This character is identical in simplified and traditional forms.

Cultural Significance

The number 2 has interesting cultural meanings in Chinese:

Generally positive:

• Represents pairs, balance, and harmony
• "Good things come in pairs" (好事成双 hǎo shì chéng shuāng) is a common saying
• Wedding gifts and decorations often feature pairs

Duality and balance: In Chinese philosophy, 2 represents the concept of yin and yang—two complementary forces.

二 (èr) vs 两 (liǎng): Chinese has two words for "two":

• 二 (èr) is used when counting or in numbers (12, 22, 32, etc.)
• 两 (liǎng) is used with measure words when actually counting objects
• Example: 两个人 (liǎng gè rén) = two people, not 二个人

Practical Usage

Counting: When counting sequentially: 一、二、三 (yī, èr, sān)

With measure words: Use 两 (liǎng) instead of 二 when counting things:

• 两个 (liǎng gè) = two (general items)
• 两本书 (liǎng běn shū) = two books
• 两杯茶 (liǎng bēi chá) = two cups of tea

In compound numbers: Use 二 in compound numbers:

• 12 = 十二 (shí èr)
• 22 = 二十二 (èr shí èr)
• 200 = 二百 (èr bǎi) OR 两百 (liǎng bǎi) - both are acceptable

Prices:

• 2元 = 两块 (liǎng kuài) - in spoken Chinese
• 20元 = 二十元 (èr shí yuán)

Times and dates:

• 2:00 = 两点 (liǎng diǎn) OR 二点 (èr diǎn)
• February = 二月 (èr yuè)
• Tuesday = 星期二 (xīng qī èr)
• The 2nd day = 二号 (èr hào)

Regional Variations

The pronunciation of 二 (èr) remains consistent across Mandarin-speaking regions, but other Chinese dialects have their own pronunciations:

Cantonese: ji⁶ (sounds like "yee" with a low tone) Hokkien/Taiwanese: jī or lī Shanghainese: nyi

If you're in mainland China, Taiwan, or Singapore speaking Mandarin, stick with èr.

Common Phrases with 2

第二 (dì èr): Second, number two

二手 (èr shǒu): Second-hand, used

二维码 (èr wéi mǎ): QR code (literally "two-dimensional code")

独一无二 (dú yī wú èr): One and only, unique (literally "only one, no two")

一清二楚 (yī qīng èr chǔ): Crystal clear, perfectly clear

说一不二 (shuō yī bù èr): Mean what one says, keep one's word (literally "say one, not two")

Slang meaning

Note: In modern slang, 二 can mean "silly" or "goofy" (傻二 shǎ èr), but this is informal and context-dependent. In formal contexts and when referring to the number, 二 has no negative connotation.

Quick Takeaways

• 2 in Chinese is 二 (èr) with a sharp falling fourth tone
• It's pronounced like "ar" with a decisive downward tone
• The character has two horizontal strokes representing "two"
• Use 二 (èr) for sequential counting and compound numbers
• Use 两 (liǎng) with measure words when counting objects
• Two represents pairs and balance in Chinese culture
• "Good things come in pairs" is an important cultural concept

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If you're in China and need to understand the difference between 二 and 两 in context, TravelNum shows you exactly how numbers are used in real situations.