二

See also: ニ, 𠄞, 𠄟, 𠄠, ゠, and Appendix:Variations of "="

二	U+4E8C, 二 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4E8C

← 事
[U+4E8B]

CJK Unified Ideographs

亍 →
[U+4E8D]

⼆	U+2F06, ⼆ KANGXI RADICAL TWO

← ⼅
[U+2F05]

Kangxi Radicals

⼇ →
[U+2F07]

㈡	U+3221, ㈡ PARENTHESIZED IDEOGRAPH TWO

← ㈠
[U+3220]

Enclosed CJK Letters and Months

㈢ →
[U+3222]

㊁	U+3281, ㊁ CIRCLED IDEOGRAPH TWO

← ㊀
[U+3280]

Enclosed CJK Letters and Months

㊂ →
[U+3282]

Commons:Category

Wikimedia Commons has more media related to:

二

TranslingualEdit

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han characterEdit

See images of
Radical 7 二

二 (Kangxi radical 7, 二+0, 2 strokes, cangjie input 一一 (MM), four-corner 1010₀, composition ⿱一一)

Kangxi radical #7, ⼆.
Shuowen Jiezi radical №479

Derived charactersEdit

Appendix:Chinese radical/二
仁, 𬨜, 𠚧, 况, 元, 𡚬, 示, 忈, 𨳏, 𨴙, 𨶄, 三, 𠓞, 𠮡, 夳, 𦫽, 𫿭, 竺, 𢨑
勻, 弍, 𢎥, 𭘾, 𡤾, 𡰥, 𢨧, 𡶂, 𰀁, 𨳎, 冃, 𡆤

ChineseEdit

simp. and trad.		二
alternative forms		貳／贰 financial 弍𠄠

Glyph originEdit

Historical forms of the character 二

Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)

Liushutong (compiled in Ming)

Libian (compiled in Qing)

Oracle bone script

Bronze inscriptions

Chu slip and silk script

Qin slip script

Ancient script

Small seal script

Transcribed ancient scripts

Clerical script

**Oracle bone script**
j28182	j28183	j28184	j28185	j28186	j28187	j28188	j28189
j28190	j28191	j28192	j28193	j28194	j28195	j28196	j28197
j28198	j28199

**Bronze inscriptions**
b18613	b18614	b18615	b18616	b18617	b18618	b18619	b18620
b18621	b18622	b18623	b18624	b18625	b18626	b18627	b18628
b18629	b18630	b18631	b18632	b18633

**Small seal script**
s10124

**Transcribed ancient scripts**
L19175	L19176	L19177	L19178	L19179

References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (二) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
膩	*nis
二	*njis
弍	*njis
貳	*njis
樲	*njis

Ideogram (指事) - two parallel strokes. Compare with 一, one stroke meaning one, 三, three strokes meaning three, and 亖, four strokes meaning four. Duplication of 一 (“one”).

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/s-ni-s. Cognate to Tibetan གཉིས (gnyis), Sikkimese ཉི (nyi), Tangut 𗍫 (*njɨ̱¹), Burmese နှစ် (hnac), and Sichuan Yi ꑍ (nyip). See also: 次 (OC *sn̥ʰis, “second; next”), a cognate within Chinese languages.

PronunciationEdit

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): èr (er⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄦˋ

(Chengdu, SP): er⁴

(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): эр (er, III)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ji⁶

(Taishan, Wiktionary): ngei⁵
Gan (Wiktionary): eo⁵
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): ngi

(Meixian, Guangdong): ngi⁴
Jin (Wiktionary): er³
Min Bei (KCR): nī
Min Dong (BUC): nê
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): jī / lī / gī

(Teochew, Peng'im): ri⁶ / ri⁷ / no⁶
Wu (Wiktionary): ³nyi; ³hher; ³lian
Xiang (Wiktionary): e⁵

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: èr
  - Zhuyin: ㄦˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: èr
  - Wade–Giles: êrh⁴
  - Yale: èr
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ell
  - Palladius: эр (er)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀɤɻ⁵¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: er⁴
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: r
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɚ²¹³/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: эр (er, III)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɛɻ⁴⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: ji⁶
  - Yale: yih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ji⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: yi⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiː²²/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: ngei⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵑɡei³²/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: eo⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɵ¹¹/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngi
  - Hakka Romanization System: ngi
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ngi⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /ɲi⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: ngi⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /ɲi⁵³/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: er³
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /əɻ⁴⁵/
Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: nī
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ni⁵⁵/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: nê
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /nˡɛi²⁴²/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Changtai, Zhangpu, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Sanxia, Magong, Penang, Singapore)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: jī
  - Tâi-lô: jī
  - Phofsit Daibuun: ji
  - IPA (Penang): /d͡ʑi²¹/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /ʑi³³/
  - IPA (Zhangpu, Tainan, Yilan): /d͡ʑi³³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou, Changtai, Singapore): /d͡ʑi²²/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Taipei, Lukang, Kinmen, Hsinchu, Philippines, Singapore)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lī
  - Tâi-lô: lī
  - Phofsit Daibuun: li
  - IPA (Taipei): /li³³/
  - IPA (Lukang): /li³¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines): /li⁴¹/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Kinmen, Singapore): /li²²/
- (Hokkien: Taichung)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gī
  - Tâi-lô: gī
  - Phofsit Daibuun: gi
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: ri⁶ / ri⁷ / no⁶
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: jĭ / jī / nŏ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /d͡zi³⁵/, /d͡zi¹¹/, /no³⁵/

Note: no6 - semantic (substitute for 兩／两).

Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: ³nyi; ³hher; ³lian
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲi²³/, /ɦəɻ²³/, /liã²³/

Note:

3nyi - colloquial;
3hher - literary;
3lian - alternative, from 兩／两, younger speakers only.

Xiang

(Changsha)
- Wiktionary: e⁵
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɤ̞²¹/

Middle Chinese: /ȵiɪ^H/

Rime
Character	二
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	日 (38)
Final (韻)	脂 (15)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	而至切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ȵiɪ^H/
Pan Wuyun	/ȵi^H/
Shao Rongfen	/ȵʑjɪ^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ȵi^H/
Li Rong	/ȵi^H/
Wang Li	/ȵʑi^H/
Bernard Karlgren	/ȵʑi^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	èr
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ji⁶

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*ni[j]-s/

(Zhengzhang): /*njis/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	二
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	èr
Middle Chinese	‹ nyij^H ›
Old Chinese	/*ni[j]-s/
English	two
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	二
Reading #	1/1
No.	2824
Phonetic component	二
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	二
Old Chinese	/*njis/

DefinitionsEdit

二

two
二號線／二号线 ― èr hào xiàn ― line no. 2
- 子曰：「君子之道，或出或處，或默或語，二人同心，其利斷金。同心之言，其臭如蘭。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  子曰：“君子之道，或出或处，或默或语，二人同心，其利断金。同心之言，其臭如兰。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: I Ching, 11^th – 8^th century BCE
  Zǐ yuē: “Jūnzǐ zhī dào, huò chū huò chǔ, huò mò huò yǔ, èr rén tóng xīn, qí lì duàn jīn. Tóng xīn zhī yán, qí xiù rú lán.” [Pinyin]
  The Master said, on this, "The ways of good men (different seem). This in a public office toils; that in his home the time beguiles. One man his lips with silence seals; another all his mind reveals. But when two men are one in heart, not iron bolts keep them apart; the words they in their union use, fragrance like orchid plants diffuse."
second
二哥 ― èrgē ― second elder brother
- 子墨子曰：國有七患。七患者何？城郭溝池不可守而治宮室，一患也。邊國至境四鄰莫救，二患也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  子墨子曰：国有七患。七患者何？城郭沟池不可守而治宫室，一患也。边国至境四邻莫救，二患也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Mozi, c. 4^th century BCE
  Zǐ Mòzǐ yuē: guó yǒu qī huàn. Qī huàn zhě hé? Chéngguō gōuchí bù kě shǒu ér zhì gōngshì, yī huàn yě. Biānguó zhì jìng sìlín mò jiù, èr huàn yě. [Pinyin]
  Mozi said: There are seven causes of worry to a state and they are: (1) When the outer and the inner city walls are not defensible; (2) When an enemy state is approaching and yet one's neighbours do not come to the rescue.
^† secondary, vice-
^† again, once more
^† two-fold, double
^† fold, times
^† different; other, else
二意 ― èryì ― (please add an English translation of this example)

二心 ― èrxīn ― (please add an English translation of this example)
(handwritten, dated, now informal) An iteration mark denoting the repetition of the previous hanzi; often written at a smaller size when used for this purpose.
Synonyms: 々, 〻
Short for "twenty, two hundred or two thousand" after hundreds, thousands and ten thousands.
※ Such a definition of a number results from a number's being used without a unit after a quantity with both a value (exists even if hidden) and a unit to indicate the quantity with the value being the number and the unit one grade lower. So does the next definition.

百二 [Cantonese] ― baak³ ji⁶ [Jyutping] ― one hundred twenty

百二 [Hokkien] ― pah jī [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― one hundred twenty

買電腦花了一千二。 [MSC, trad.]
买电脑花了一千二。 [MSC, simp.]
Mǎi diànnǎo huā le yī qiān èr. [Pinyin]
Buying the computer cost me a thousand and two hundred bucks.
Short for "twenty cents".
黃瓜一塊二一斤。／黄瓜一块二一斤。 ― Huángguā yī kuài èr yī jīn. ― The cucumbers are one dollar twenty per half kilogram.
(dialectal Mandarin) stupid, dumb; silly, thick, lacking mental agility (often in a cute way)
你這人怎麼這麼二！ [MSC, trad.]
你这人怎么这么二！ [MSC, simp.]
Nǐ zhè rén zěnme zhème èr! [Pinyin]
Why are you so incorrigibly stupid!
(Hong Kong Cantonese, school slang) to obtain a level two in a subject in DSE (exam) (usually implies failing the subject)
我中文二咗，入唔到 U。 [Cantonese, trad. and simp.]
ngo⁵ zung¹ man^4-2 ji⁶ zo², jap⁶ m⁴ dou³ ju¹. [Jyutping]
I got a level two in Chinese, can't get into university.
(Classical Chinese) Alternative form of 貳／贰 (èr); usually limited to the simplified script
不二过 ― bù'èrguò ― (please add an English translation of this example)

Usage notesEdit

See 兩 - Usage notes.

SynonymsEdit

(used in counting) 兩／两 (liǎng)

CompoundsEdit

Derived terms from 二

DescendantsEdit

Sino-Xenic (二):

→ Japanese: 二(に) (ni)
→ Korean: 이(二) (i)
→ Vietnamese: nhị (二)

Others:

→ Bouyei: ngih
→ Northern Thai: ᨿᩦ᩵
→ Lao: ຍີ່ (nyī)
→ Thai: ยี่ (yîi)
→ Vietnamese: nhì
→ Zhuang: ngeih

JapaneseEdit

KanjiEdit

二

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Alternative formsEdit

弐 (financial or formal)

ReadingsEdit

Go-on: に (ni, Jōyō)
Kan-on: じ (ji)
Kun: ふた (futa, 二, Jōyō); ふたつ (futatsu, 二つ, Jōyō); ふつ (futsu, 二つ)
Nanori: おと (oto); つぐ (tsugu); つぎ (tsugi); にい (nī); は (ha); ふ (fu); ふたつ (futatsu); ふだ (fuda); わ (wa)

CompoundsEdit

二(に)王(おう) (niō)
二(に)月(がつ) (nigatsu)
二(に)言(ごん) (nigon), 二言(ふたこと) (futakoto)
二(に)重(じゅう) (nijū)
二(じ)乗(じょう) (jijō)
二(に)百(ひゃく) (nihyaku)
二(に)次(じ) (niji)
二(に)字(じ) (niji)
二(に)塁(るい) (nirui)
二(に)階(かい) (nikai)
二(ふた)人(り) (futari)
二(に)心(しん) (nishin), 二(ふた)心(ごころ) (futagokoro)
二(ふつ)日(か) (futsuka)
二(に)次(じ)元(げん) (nijigen)
二(に)院(いん)制(せい) (niinsei)
二(に)毛(もう)作(さく) (nimōsaku)
二(に)刀(とう)流(りゅう) (nitōryū)
二(に)人(にん)称(しょう) (nininshō)
二(に)年(ねん)草(そう) (ninensō)
二(に)枚(まい)貝(がい) (nimaigai)
二(に)枚(まい)舌(じた) (nimaijita)
二(に)枚(まい)目(め) (nimaime)
二十(はた)歳(ち) (hatachi)
二十(はつ)日(か) (hatsuka)
二(に)律(りつ)背(はい)反(はん) (niritsuhaihan)
二(に)重(じゅう)人(じん)格(かく) (nijūjinkaku)
二(に)束(そく)三(さん)文(もん) (nisoku-sanmon)
十(と)重(え)二十(はた)重(え) (toe-hatae)
二(ふた)つ目(め) (futatsume)
二(に)の次(つぎ) (ninotsugi)
二(に)の舞(まい) (ninomai)

Derived termsEdit

二(ふた)つ (futatsu): noun: two, 2 (counting); two years old
二(ふた)けた (futaketa) noun: two digits, double figures

Etymology 1Edit

Kanji in this term
二
に Grade: 1
on’yomi

From Middle Chinese 二 (ȵiɪ^H, “two”). Compare modern Min Dong reading nê.

PronunciationEdit

On’yomi: Goon

(Tokyo) に [níꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]^[2]
IPA^(key): [ɲ̟i]
Audio (file)

NounEdit

二(に) • (ni)

two, 2
second
二(に)兎(と)を追(お)う者(もの)は一兎(いっと)をも得(え)ず
nito o ou mono wa itto o mo ezu
focus on one thing at a time (literally, “one who chases two rabbits catches neither one”)

二(に)の足(あし)を踏(ふ)む
ni no ashi o fumu
hesitate; think twice (literally, “step on two feet”)

二(に)階(かい)から目(め)薬(ぐすり)
nikai kara megusuri
trying to do an impossible task (literally, “(taking) eye medicine from the second floor”)

NumeralEdit

**Japanese cardinal numbers**
< 1	2	3 >
Cardinal : 二

二(に) • (ni)

two, 2

Etymology 2Edit

Kanji in this term
二
ふた Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Originally /huta/: *[puta] > [ɸuta]. The ablaut form of 一 (hito2, “one”), which it doubles.

NounEdit

二(ふた) • (futa)

two

Coordinate termsEdit

Japanese numbers
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Regular	零(れい) (rei) 零(ゼロ) (zero)	一(いち) (ichi)	二(に) (ni)	三(さん) (san)	四(よん) (yon) 四(し) (shi)	五(ご) (go)	六(ろく) (roku)	七(なな) (nana) 七(しち) (shichi)	八(はち) (hachi)	九(きゅう) (kyū) 九(く) (ku)	十(じゅう) (jū)
Formal	零(れい) (rei) 零(ゼロ) (zero)	壱(いち) (ichi)	弐(に) (ni)	参(さん) (san)	四(よん) (yon) 四(し) (shi)	五(ご) (go)	六(ろく) (roku)	七(なな) (nana) 七(しち) (shichi)	八(はち) (hachi)	九(きゅう) (kyū) 九(く) (ku)	拾(じゅう) (jū)
	90	100	300	600	800	1,000	3,000	8,000	10,000	100,000,000
Regular	九(きゅう)十(じゅう) (kyūjū)	百(ひゃく) (hyaku) 一(いっ)百(ぴゃく) (ippyaku)	三(さん)百(びゃく) (sanbyaku)	六(ろっ)百(ぴゃく) (roppyaku)	八(はっ)百(ぴゃく) (happyaku)	千(せん) (sen) 一(いっ)千(せん) (issen)	三(さん)千(ぜん) (sanzen)	八(はっ)千(せん) (hassen)	一(いち)万(まん) (ichiman)	一(いち)億(おく) (ichioku)
Formal	九(きゅう)十(じゅう) (kyūjū)	百(ひゃく) (hyaku) 一(いっ)百(ぴゃく) (ippyaku)	三(さん)百(びゃく) (sanbyaku)	六(ろっ)百(ぴゃく) (roppyaku)	八(はっ)百(ぴゃく) (happyaku)	千(せん) (sen) 一(いっ)千(せん) (issen)	三(さん)千(ぜん) (sanzen)	八(はっ)千(せん) (hassen)	一(いち)萬(まん) (ichiman)	一(いち)億(おく) (ichioku)
	10¹²	8×10¹²	10¹³	10¹⁶	6×10¹⁶	8×10¹⁶	10¹⁷	10¹⁸
	一(いっ)兆(ちょう) (itchō)	八(はっ)兆(ちょう) (hatchō)	十(じゅっ)兆(ちょう) (jutchō)	一(いっ)京(けい) (ikkei)	六(ろっ)京(けい) (rokkei)	八(はっ)京(けい) (hakkei)	十(じゅっ)京(けい) (jukkei)	百(ひゃっ)京(けい) (hyakkei)

ReferencesEdit

^ 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

KoreanEdit

EtymologyEdit

**Korean numbers ^(edit)**
	20
← 1	2	3 →
Native isol.: 둘 (dul) Native attr.: 두 (du) Sino-Korean: 이 (i) Hanja: 二 Ordinal: 둘째 (duljjae)

From Middle Chinese 二 (MC ȵiɪ^H).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᅀᅵᆼ〮 (Yale: zí)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
Text	*Gloss (hun)*	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527^[1]	두〯 (Yale: twǔ)	ᅀᅵ〯 (Yale: zǐ)
Gwangju Cheonjamun, 1575	두 (Yale: twu)	이 (Yale: i)

PronunciationEdit

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [i(ː)]
Phonetic hangul: [이(ː)]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

HanjaEdit

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

二

Wikisource

二, eumhun 두 이 (du i)

Hanja form^? of 이 (“two”).

CompoundsEdit

Compounds

이심 (二心, isim)
이십 (二十, isip)
이월 (二月, iwol)
이중 (二重, ijung)
십이 (十二, sibi)
십이지장 (十二指腸, sibijijang)
일구이언 (一口二言, ilgu'ieon)
일석이조 (一石二鳥, ilseogijo)

ReferencesEdit

국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]