二 meaning and stroke order
Two; 2; (Beijing dialect) stupid
How to write 二, stroke by stroke
2 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
Meaning of 二
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- two
- 2
- (Beijing dialect) stupid
How 二 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two parallel lines; compare 一 (one) and 三 (three).
How to remember 二
二 (èr) is simply two horizontal lines stacked, one line for each unit, just like 一 (one) has one line and 三 (three) has three. Picture two chopsticks lying flat on a table.
二 is the number two used in counting, math, ordinals, and many compound words like 第二 (dì-èr, second) and 二手 (èrshǒu, second-hand). Example: 我买了一辆二手车。(Wǒ mǎi le yí liàng èrshǒuchē.) I bought a second-hand car.
Common mistake: Learners often write the two strokes the same length, but the bottom stroke of 二 is longer than the top one. Also, before a measure word you usually say 两 (liǎng), not 二, so it is 两个人 (liǎng ge rén), not 二个人.
Common words with 二
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 第二 | dì-èr | second; number two | HSK 1 |
| 二手 | èrshǒu | indirectly acquired; second-hand (information, equipment etc) | HSK 4 |
| 二维码 | èrwéimǎ | 2D barcode; matrix code; (esp.) QR code | HSK 5 |
| 独一无二 | dúyī-wú'èr | (idiom) unique; unmatched; unrivalled | HSK 7-9 |
| 二氧化碳 | èryǎnghuàtàn | carbon dioxide CO2 | HSK 7-9 |
| 一干二净 | yīgān-èrjìng | thoroughly (idiom); completely | HSK 7-9 |
| 二手车 | èrshǒuchē | second-hand car | HSK 7-9 |
| 接二连三 | jiē'èr-liánsān | (idiom) one after another; in quick succession | HSK 7-9 |
| 第二次 | dì'èrcì | the second time; the second occurrence | |
| 第二天 | dì'èrtiān | next day; the morrow | |
| 老二 | lǎo'èr | second-eldest child in a family; (euphemism) penis | |
| 二十 | èrshí | twenty; 20 | |
| 二号 | èrhào | 2nd day of the month | |
| 十二 | shí'èr | twelve; 12 |
二 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 二
Learning 二 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 二
How many strokes are in 二?
二 is written with 2 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 二 mean?
二 (èr) means two; 2; (Beijing dialect) stupid. A common word with it is 第二 (dì-èr), meaning "second; number two".
How do you pronounce 二?
二 is pronounced èr, in the fourth tone (falling).
Is 二 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 二 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
When do I use 二 and when do I use 两?
Use 二 when counting, reading numbers, and for ordinals, like 一二三, 十二 (shí'èr), or 第二. Use 两 before measure words to mean 'two of something', like 两本书 (liǎng běn shū).
Why do people call someone 二 as an insult?
In Beijing dialect and casual speech, 二 can mean silly or stupid. Saying 你真二 (nǐ zhēn èr) means 'you are so dumb', usually in a teasing way among friends.