二
two · two radical (no. 7)
Details
Description
Two - two level strokes. The pair, the balance, and the yin and yang that need each other.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Two horizontal strokes representing 'two'.
Symbolism
Pair, yin-yang, balance. Represents concept of two making a set.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
一石二鳥
いっせきにちょう
killing two birds with one stone
遮二無二
しゃにむに
desperately; recklessly; (rushing) headlong
二股膏薬
ふたまたこうやく
double-dealer; timeserver; moving back and forth between two sides in a conflict
二者選一
にしゃせんいつ
choosing between two things; two choices
二者択一
にしゃたくいつ
choosing between two things; two choices
二人三脚
ににんさんきゃく
three-legged race; cooperation with singleness of purpose (e.g. between companies); operating in tandem
二律背反
にりつはいはん
antinomy; self-contradiction; either-or situation
二六時中
にろくじちゅう
night and day; all the time
無二無三
むにむさん
in earnest; single-minded; with intense concentration
唯一無二
ゆいいつむに
one and only; unique
二束三文
にそくさんもん
dirt cheap; very cheap
二転三転
にてんさんてん
changing again and again; seesawing back and forth; being in a state of flux
二枚看板
にまいかんばん
the two leading actors (in a play); the two star players; the two distinctive features
唯一不二
ゆいいつふじ
one and only; unique
二河白道
にがびゃくどう
the road to paradise is a white road between two rivers, one of water (wrath) and one of fire (greed)
Proverbs & Idioms
二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず
にとをおうものはいっとをもえず
He who chases two rabbits catches neither
Being greedy leads to losing everything
二階から目薬
にかいからめぐすり
Eye drops from the second floor
An indirect approach that is ineffective
Poetry
五月雨や大河を前に家二軒
The rains of the fifth month — two houses facing a swollen river.
牡丹散りて打ちかさなりぬ二三片
The peony falls, and two or three petals lie one on another.
Anime & Manga
中二病でも恋がしたい!
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions
A well-known work with 二 in its Japanese title.
地獄楽 第二期
Hell’s Paradise Season 2
A well-known work with 二 in its Japanese title.
月が導く異世界道中 第二幕
TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit Fantasy- Season 2
A well-known work with 二 in its Japanese title.
最強の王様、二度目の人生は 何をする?
The Beginning After the End
A well-known work with 二 in its Japanese title.
現実主義勇者の王国再建記 第二部
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2
A well-known work with 二 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
二条天皇
Name contains 二
Emperor Nijō was the 78th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.
Wikipedia後藤象二郎
Name contains 二
Count Gotō Shōjirō was a Japanese samurai and politician during the Bakumatsu and early Meiji period of Japanese history.
Wikipedia二宮尊徳
Name contains 二
Ninomiya Sontoku , also known as Ninomiya Kinjirō , was a Japanese agricultural reformer.
Wikipedia藤島武二
Name contains 二
Fujishima Takeji was a Japanese painter, noted for his work in developing Romanticism and impressionism within the yōga art movement in late 19th-…
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 二 mean in Japanese?
二 means two, two radical (no. 7). Two - two level strokes. The pair, the balance, and the yin and yang that need each other.
How do you read 二?
On'yomi: ニ、ジ (NI, JI). Kun'yomi: ふた、ふた.つ、ふたたび (futa, futatsu, futatabi).
How many strokes does 二 have?
二 has 2 strokes. Its radical is 二 (two).
Is 二 a good kanji for a tattoo?
二 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means two, two radical (no. 7). Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:two