両 means “both, pair”

りょう · ryou

Also: old Japanese coin, counter for carriages (e.g., in a train), two

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

てる, ふたつ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

リョウ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 6 strokes

The story

Picture a yoke built for two horses, one neck on each side: 両 is a matched pair. 両親 are both parents, 両手 both hands, and 両替, money exchange, still carries the 両, the gold currency of samurai-era Japan.

Used in 両親 (ryoushin, parents), 両方 (ryouhou, both), and 両替 (ryougae, money exchange)

Words with 両

• 両親 (りょうしん, ryoushin): both parents

More from How Much, How Many

• 割 split
• 種 seed
• 程 extent
• 積 pile up
• 単 single
• 類 kind
• 余 surplus
• 等 equal
• 列 row
• 幾 how many
• 全 all
• 最 most

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.