Sophie Song

Many students confuse about “二” and “两”, so today we talk about “二” and “两”.

The two words both stand for two, but they are different in usage.

1. “二” is used in ordinal number, decimal and fraction.

For example: 第二天 (the second day), 第二次 (the second time),第二名 (second place), 三分之二 (two-thirds), 一点二五 (1.25)

And “两” is mostly used before ordinary quantifiers.

Notice that “二” is widely used in traditional Chinese measurement.

二尺布 (2 feet long cloth), 二里地 (1 kilometer)

2. The digit “two” in the “个” (the first) or “十” (the second) position to the left of the decimal point is mostly pronounced as “二”, such as二十二, while in “千” (the fourth), “万” (the fifth) or “亿” (the ninth) position, is mostly pronounced “两”. When a whole is divided into two halves, we say in Chinese it is divided into “两半儿”.

3. “两” can also stand for “some” and “several”, but “二” can not.

“我还想多住两天” (I want to live a few more days.)

“我还想多玩两天” (I want to play a few more days.)

The phrase comes from a story. Once upon a time there was a man of a state of Chu who had a spear and a shield for sale. In praising of his shield he said “my shield is so solid that nothing can cut it through.” He also praised his spear “my spear is so strong that it can pierce through anything.” Right now, a man came and asked “what will happen if your spear is used to pierce your shield?” He was unable to give an answer and escaped from the market as soon as possible.

It is impossible for the strongest shield to coexist with a spear that finds nothing impenetrable.

Why we can’t say “昨天我不见到他？ 他一年以前没会说汉语。”

Because “不” and “没” the two words, as adverbs, are both used for negative purpose. But they are different in the following point.

1. “不” is used to negate the nature or state of something, while 没 (有) means the ownership or existence of something.

那本书不是英文书。

书包里没有书。

2. “不” is used to negate a statement about the future, while 没 (有) about the past.

So we should say: 昨天我没见到他？

3. “不” usually collocates with words like “会，可以，是，像，能” ect, to negate a hobby, possibility and willingness, but “没” has no usage like this.

So we should say: 他一年以前不会说汉语。

4. “不” is used to negate non-action verbs as well as action verbs, but 没 (有) to negate action verbs only.

我不认识她。

没去，没写