convenient for all involved ⇒ 你去拜会老友,我去喝茶,咱们两便。 Nǐ qù bàihuì lǎoyǒu, wǒ qù hēchá, zánmen liǎngbiàn. → You go and visit old friends, and I'll go and drink tea — that way everyone will be happy.
两可
be ambiguous
两栖
be amphibious ⇒ 两栖作战 liǎngqī zuòzhàn → an amphibious military operation
两难
difficult ⇒ 他面临两难选择。 Tā miànlín liǎngnán xuǎnzé. → He's facing some difficult choices.
两口子
couple
三三两两
in twos and threes ⇒ 大家三三两两地离开了办公室。 Dàjiā sānsānliǎngliǎng de líkāile bàngōngshì. → Everyone left the office in twos and threes.
三天两头
( 口 ) almost every day
三言两语
in a few words ⇒ 三言两语解释不清。 Sān yán liǎng yǔ jiěshì bù qīng. → It's not possible to explain in a few words.
三长两短
accident ⇒ 孩子要有个三长两短，父母该怎么办呢？ Háizi yào yǒu gè sān cháng liǎng duǎn, fùmǔ gāi zěnme bàn ne? → If something happens and the child dies, what will his parents do then?
两全其美
satisfy both sides ⇒ 我有个两全其美的方法。 Wǒ yǒu gè liǎng quán qí měi de fāngfǎ. → I have a solution that will please everybody.
两袖清风
be incorruptible
两败俱伤
lose-lose situation
判若两人
become a completely different person ⇒ 他一工作起来简直判若两人。 Tā yī gōngzuò qǐlái jiǎnzhí pàn ruò liǎng rén. → When he's working he's a completely different person.
势不两立
be irreconcilable ⇒ 英格兰和苏格兰橄榄球队势不两立。 Yīnggélán hé Sūgélán gǎnlǎnqiúduì shì bù liǎng lì. → The English and Scottish rugby teams are sworn enemies.
半斤八两
( 口 ) six of one and half a dozen of the other ⇒ 这两个人半斤八两,都不能胜任这份工作。 Zhè liǎng gè rén bàn jīn bā liǎng, dōu bùnéng shèngrèn zhè fèn gōngzuò. → They're six of one and half a dozen of the other - neither of them are competent enough to do the job.
模棱两可
equivocal
脚踏两只船
( 喻 : 贬 ) sit on the fence
三天打鱼,两天晒网
work in fits and starts ⇒ 你三天打鱼,两天晒网,根本练不好书法。 Nǐ sān tiān dǎ yú, liǎng tiān shài wǎng, gēnběn liàn bù hǎo shūfǎ. → You lack perseverance, so you'll never get anywhere with your calligraphy.
English translation of '两'
两 (兩)
(liǎng)
数
(表示具体数目) two
⇒ 两米 (liǎng mǐ) two metres (英) 或 meters (美)
⇒ 两个小时 (liǎng gè xiǎoshí) two hours
(表示不定数目) a few
⇒ 说两句 (shuō liǎng jù) say a few words
⇒ 敲两下门 (qiāo liǎng xià mén) knock several times on the door
名
both
⇒ 两全其美 (liǎng quán qí měi) satisfy both sides
⇒ 势不两立 (shì bù liǎng lì) be mutually exclusive
量
liang, a Chinese unit of weight, equal to 50 grams
When citing numbers, including cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers, telephone numbersand serial numbers, 二 (èr) is used for the number two. However, when you want to talk about two things, youmust use 两 (liǎng) and a measure word, e.g. 两个人 (liǎng gè rén) (2 people), 两杯茶 (liǎng bēi chá) (2 cups of tea), etc.