二(に)

に
number
two
1. two
The number two. A fundamental counting number used throughout Japanese. Like other numbers, に combines with various counters and may change pronunciation in some combinations.
二(に)人(にん)で行(い)きましょう。
Let's go together (the two of us).
コーヒーを二(に)つください。
Two coffees, please.
二(に)月(がつ)は短(みじか)いです。
February is short.
二月 means February
りんごを二(に)つ買(か)いました。一(ひと)つは赤(あか)くて、一(ひと)つは緑(みどり)です。
I bought two apples. One is red and one is green.
私(わたし)には子供(こども)が二(に)人(にん)います。上(うえ)の子(こ)は女(おんな)の子(こ)で、下(した)の子(こ)は男(おとこ)の子(こ)です。
I have two children. The older one is a girl, and the younger one is a boy.

二(に) is the Sino-Japanese reading for two. The native Japanese reading is ふた, used in specific counting forms.

READINGS:

  • に: standard reading, used with most counters
  • ふた: native reading, used in 二(ふた)つ (two things) and 二(ふた)人(り) (two people — special reading)

COUNTER COMBINATIONS:

  • 二(に)人(にん) / 二(ふた)人(り): two people (ふたり is more common)
  • 二(に)冊(さつ): two books
  • 二(に)台(だい): two machines/vehicles
  • 二(に)本(ほん): two long objects (にほん)
  • 二(に)百(ひゃく): two hundred

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 二(に)度(ど)と: never again
  • 二(ふた)言(こと)目(め)には: at every opportunity (lit. every second word)
  • 二(に)者(しゃ)択(たく)一(いつ): a choice between two options
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:49 · Revised 2026.2.16 12:58
00500/00736_ni