兩

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See also: 両 and 两
兩 U+5169, 兩
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5169
← 全
[U+5168] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 兪 →
[U+516A]
兩 U+F978, 兩
CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F978
← 亮
[U+F977] 		CJK Compatibility Ideographs 凉 →
[U+F979]

Translingual

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Traditional 兩
Shinjitai 両
Simplified 两
Stroke order

Han character

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兩 (Kangxi radical 11, 入+6, 8 strokes, cangjie input 一中月人 (MLBO), four-corner 10227, composition ⿻帀𠓜)

Derived characters

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References

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  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 126, character 13
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 1436
  • Dae Jaweon: page 272, character 11
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 24, character 2
  • Unihan data for U+5169

Chinese

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Glyph origin

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Historical forms of the character 兩
b11978
b11979
b11980
b11981
b11982
b11983
b11984
b11985
b11986
b11987
b11988
b11989
b11990
b11991
b11992
s05489
Transcribed ancient scripts
L35075
L35076
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 (兩) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
倆 *raŋʔ
兩 *raŋʔ, *raŋs
脼 *raŋʔ
緉 *raŋʔ, *raŋs
蜽 *raŋʔ
魎 *raŋʔ
輛 *raŋs

According to Shuowen Jiezi an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 一 + 㒳.

Baxter (1992) observes that, in historical forms, the character is two 丙 (OC *praŋʔ) joined together; this would make 丙 the phonetic component in a sort of phono-ideogrammic compound (see also Baxter & Sagart (2014)).

The character could be linked to the original form of 更, which represents two chariots and a whip.

Etymology

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Unknown. Schuessler (2007) proposes two possible etymologies:

Derivative: 輛 (OC *raŋs, “chariot”) (literally “that which is paired”, i.e. “a set of wheels”).

Pronunciation 1

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trad. 兩
simp. 两
alternative forms 㒳
𭃂
Note:
  • lâng - vernacular;
  • liōng - literary.
Note:
  • nn̄g/nňg/nō͘ - vernacular;
  • lióng - literary.
Note:
  • no6 - vernacular;
  • liang2 - literary.
    • (Leizhou)
      • Leizhou Pinyin: no6 / liang2
      • Sinological IPA: /nɔ³³/, /liaŋ³¹/
Note:
  • no6 - vernacular;
  • liang2 - literary.
Rime
Character 兩
Reading # 1/2
Initial (聲) 來 (37)
Final (韻) 陽 (105)
Tone (調) Rising (X)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 良㢡切
Baxter ljangX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/lɨɐŋX/
Pan
Wuyun 		/liɐŋX/
Shao
Rongfen 		/liɑŋX/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/lɨaŋX/
Li
Rong 		/liaŋX/
Wang
Li 		/lĭaŋX/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/li̯aŋX/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		liǎng
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		loeng5
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 兩
Reading # 1/1
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		liǎng
Middle
Chinese 		‹ ljangX ›
Old
Chinese 		/*p.raŋʔ/
English a pair

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 兩
Reading # 1/2
No. 8054
Phonetic
component 		兩
Rime
group 		陽
Rime
subdivision 		0
Corresponding
MC rime
Old
Chinese 		/*raŋʔ/

Definitions

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兩

  1. two
    兩隻熱氣球／两只热气球  ―  liǎng zhī rèqìqiú  ―  two hot air balloons
    呢兩塊扒都太生。 [Cantonese, trad.]
    呢两块扒都太生。 [Cantonese, simp.]
    ni1 loeng5 faai3 paa1 dou1 taai3 saang1. [Jyutping]
    These two steaks are both too rare.
    一兩三／一两三 [Shanghainese]  ―  7iq 6lian 1se [Wugniu]  ―  One, two, three
  2. two (used in radio communications in aviation and by the military)
  3. some; few
    你們這兩天真夠辛苦的。 [MSC, trad.]
    你们这两天真够辛苦的。 [MSC, simp.]
    Nǐmen zhè liǎng tiān zhēn gòu xīnkǔ de. [Pinyin]
    You've really been working hard the past few days.
  4. different; distinct
    兩樣／两样  ―  liǎngyàng  ―  difference
    我們說的是兩回事。 [MSC, trad.]
    我们说的是两回事。 [MSC, simp.]
    Wǒmen shuō de shì liǎng huí shì. [Pinyin]
    We are talking about different things.
  5. a surname
Usage notes
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  • In many lects, including Standard Mandarin, 兩／两 (liǎng) is used when counting things with a measure word, 二 (èr) is used in numbers.
    • Examples with 兩／两 (liǎng)
      兩個人／两个人  ―  liǎng ge rén  ―  two people
      兩年／两年  ―  liǎng nián  ―  two years
      兩百／两百  ―  liǎng bǎi  ―  two hundred
      兩千／两千  ―  liǎng qiān  ―  two thousand
    • Examples with 二 (èr)
      二十  ―  èrshí  ―  twenty (literally, “two tens”)
      二百  ―  èr bǎi  ―  two hundred
      第二  ―  dì'èr  ―  second
      But not *二個人
  • Rules may vary from variety to variety.
Use case Mandarin Cantonese Shanghainese
兩個人 + + +
兩百 + - +
三十兩 - - +
Synonyms
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  • 二 (èr, “two”)

Compounds

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Pronunciation 2

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trad. 兩/両
simp. 两
alternative forms 㒳
𭃂
Wikipedia has articles on:
Note:
  • niên2 - Chaozhou;
  • nion2 - Shantou.
Rime
Character 兩
Reading # 1/2
Initial (聲) 來 (37)
Final (韻) 陽 (105)
Tone (調) Rising (X)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 良㢡切
Baxter ljangX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/lɨɐŋX/
Pan
Wuyun 		/liɐŋX/
Shao
Rongfen 		/liɑŋX/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/lɨaŋX/
Li
Rong 		/liaŋX/
Wang
Li 		/lĭaŋX/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/li̯aŋX/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		liǎng
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		loeng5
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 兩
Reading # 1/1
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		liǎng
Middle
Chinese 		‹ ljangX ›
Old
Chinese 		/*p.raŋʔ/
English a pair

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 兩
Reading # 1/2
No. 8054
Phonetic
component 		兩
Rime
group 		陽
Rime
subdivision 		0
Corresponding
MC rime
Old
Chinese 		/*raŋʔ/

Definitions

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兩

  1. tael (a traditional unit of weight)
    1. (Mainland China) Short for 市兩／市两 (shìliǎng, “market tael, equal to 1/10 of a catty or 50 grams”).
    2. (Hong Kong) equal to 1/16 of a catty or 37.7994 grams
    3. (Taiwan) Short for 臺兩／台两 (“Taiwanese tael, equal to 1/16 of a catty or 37.5 grams”).
    4. (historical) metal currency unit used in China and Japan
  2. Short for 公兩／公两 (gōngliǎng, “hectogram”).
Usage notes
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  • In older literature, using 両 for "tael" and 兩／两 for "two" can be seen.
  • The variant form 𭃂 is commonly found in shop signs displaying prices.

Compounds

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Pronunciation 3

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Rime
Character 兩
Reading # 2/2
Initial (聲) 來 (37)
Final (韻) 陽 (105)
Tone (調) Departing (H)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 力讓切
Baxter ljangH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/lɨɐŋH/
Pan
Wuyun 		/liɐŋH/
Shao
Rongfen 		/liɑŋH/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/lɨaŋH/
Li
Rong 		/liaŋH/
Wang
Li 		/lĭaŋH/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/li̯aŋH/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		liàng
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		loeng6
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 兩
Reading # 2/2
No. 8061
Phonetic
component 		兩
Rime
group 		陽
Rime
subdivision 		0
Corresponding
MC rime 		亮
Old
Chinese 		/*raŋs/
Notes 後作輛

Definitions

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兩

  1. Original form of 輛／辆 (liàng).

Pronunciation 4

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For pronunciation and definitions of 兩 – see 魎.
(This character is a variant form of 魎).

Compounds

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Descendants

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Sino-Xenic (兩):

Others:

Further reading

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Southern Min

Japanese

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Shinjitai

両

Kyūjitai

兩

Kanji

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兩

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 両)

  1. both

Readings

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Alternative forms

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  • 两 (also kyūjitai)

Korean

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Etymology 1

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Hanja

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兩 (eumhun 두 량 (du ryang), word-initial (South Korea) 두 양 (du yang))

  1. hanja form? of 량 (“both”)

Compounds

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Etymology 2

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Hanja

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兩 (eumhun 냥 냥 (nyang nyang), word-initial (South Korea) 냥 양 (nyang yang))

  1. hanja form? of 냥 (“(archaic) (units of measure) a liang or tael, a unit of weight equivalent to about 40 g”)
  2. hanja form? of 냥 (“(archaic) (units of coinage) a nyang”)

Vietnamese

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Han character

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兩: Hán Nôm readings: lưỡng[1][2][3][4][5][6], lượng[1][2][4][5][6], lạng[1][2][3][5][6][7]

  1. Nôm form of lạng (“tael (unit of weight equal to 37.8 grams)”).
  2. chữ Hán form of lượng (“tael”).
  3. chữ Hán form of lưỡng (“two, both”).

References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Génibrel (1898).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bonet (1899).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Thiều Chửu (1942).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Nguyễn (1974).
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Trần (1999).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
  7. ^ Hồ (1976).
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