Japanese kanji 二: the number 2

The idea

二 has 2 strokes. Draw the upper horizontal first, then the lower one. Read the table aloud: the independent number is に, but the reading changes with the word. For example, 二月 is にがつ, while 二日 as a calendar date is ふつか.

Examples

• 今いまは二時にじです。It is 2 o’clock now.
• りんごを二ふたつ買かいます。I buy 2 apples.
• 店みせに二人ふたりいます。There are 2 people in the shop.
• 今日きょうは二日ふつかです。Today is the 2nd of the month.
• 二月にがつに旅行りょこうします。I travel in February.
• 鉛筆えんぴつを二本にほん使つかいます。I use 2 pencils.

Watch out

Do not guess every reading from the number alone: 二人 is ふたり and 二本 is にほん. Compare the shape of 二 with 三; check the source for stroke order.

Try it yourself

1. Write the number 2 as a kanji.

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   二

   The number 2 is written 二; compare its shape with 三.

2. Write the reading of day 2 of the month in hiragana.

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   ふつか

   For the day of the month, 二日 is read ふつか; it is a complete date word.

3. Write the reading for 2 people in hiragana.

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   ふたり

   For people, 二人 is read ふたり; learn the counter as a whole.

4. Write the reading for 2 pencils in hiragana.

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   にほん

   For long objects, 二本 is read にほん; 本 is the counter used for pencils.

Use it today

Write 二 three times in stroke order. Then say a date, a time and a quantity using this character; check each full reading in the table.