<p>They are exactly the same. Maybe, 两倍 is used more frequently than 二倍, but I don't have actual data to support it. It's just my impression.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-22T03:01:23.673Z
2019-10-22T03:01:23.673Z
dan
<p>In short, the character 两 often precedes a quantifier, while 二 does not.
In ordinary life, we prefer 两倍/个/斤 to 二倍/个/斤.</p>

<p>However, when it comes to science and technology, 二 is preferred to 两. There is a jargon 二倍体(diploid) but 两倍体 does not exist.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T01:13:55.937Z
2020-03-19T05:22:14.153Z
2020-03-19T05:22:14.153Z
Huang
<p>If you focus on the usage of "double" only,  二倍 and 两倍 are the same, but 两倍 is more standard and common usage.</p>

<p>Strictly speaking, 二倍 is very nonstandard, it could be considered wrong in some cases.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-24T01:53:18.713Z
2019-10-24T01:53:18.713Z
wada
<p>二倍 could also be used in Cantonese meaning two times of something. </p>

<p>E.g. 卖出二倍的价钱-selling at two times the price</p>

<p>两倍 is used in Mandarin.</p>

<p>E.g. 两倍价钱-two times the price</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T20:18:58.500Z
2019-10-29T00:49:35.160Z
2019-10-29T00:49:35.160Z
Kitty
<p>两倍 is more often used than 二倍，because "二" sometimes means "stupid".
Like “不要这么二！” means "don't be stupid".</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-29T01:49:49.313Z
2019-10-29T01:49:49.313Z
Cheng Si
<ol>
<li><p>二倍 is more formal.
eg. （in a government annual report）由于一系列利好政策，今年我市税收达到去年的二倍。</p></li>
<li><p>两倍 is more oral.
The examples is too many.
我的饭量是你的两倍。
这支基金净值已经增长了两倍。</p></li>
</ol>

<p>The meanings are equal actually because 2 = 两.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-19T07:34:22.533Z
_由于一系列利好政策，今年我市税收达到去年的二倍_ where did you read this? I'm not sure I have seen this used anywhere (news etc.). However, if it's a fractional number, then yes, both 二点五倍/两点五倍 are fine for 2.5 times.
zypA13510
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-19T09:33:17.707Z
Maybe you read 2倍 as 两倍，I regard it as 二倍 in government or other serious style 
 articles.
Chuanyi Li
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-19T09:43:43.653Z
That's why I asked **where did you read this**? Any **source**?
zypA13510
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-19T16:50:20.087Z
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=HshUDHymUs8C&pg=RA3-PA59&dq=2%E5%80%8D%E4%BB%A5%E4%B8%8A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjygrud_6boAhX78HMBHc7XAZIQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=2%E5%80%8D%E4%BB%A5%E4%B8%8A&f=false     section 45 . My example is not that proper.But I cannot find 两倍 only 2倍 in this book.
Chuanyi Li
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-19T06:32:41.287Z
2020-03-19T06:32:41.287Z
Chuanyi Li
<p>the same, just a habit.
in number we use 一二三四五六七八九十.
but for thing we used to use 兩個、兩隻、兩張、兩百、兩萬</p>

<p>funny example 222,222,222</p>

<p>we used to call it 兩億兩千兩百二十二萬兩千兩百二十二</p>

<p>if you can't remember, always use 二 is fine</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-31T06:08:05.327Z
2019-10-31T06:08:05.327Z
name
<p><strong>Question: Is there any distinction between 二倍 and 两倍?</strong></p>

<p>It actually comes down to situational preference and the distinction is marginal at best.</p>

<p>Other contributors have already made some pointers.</p>

<p>However, I just wish to add that:-</p>

<p>(1) when making a general dimensional comparison, 两倍 is preferred; such as 两倍大, (twice as big), and 两倍多, (more than double) </p>

<p>(2) Also 两 is <em>preferred</em> when it involves an approximation without quantification when things are figuratively "doubled", like, 他眼睛比我的大两倍, (his eyes are twice as big as mine)  </p>

<p>(3) 二倍 is <em>preferred</em> when some quantifiable comparison is made, like, 今天的收入涨幅了二倍，(today's income increased by two times) because 倍 by itself means "times" as in "how many times" something has increased by.</p>

<p>But, <strong>in most cases</strong>, the two words are interchangeable and any distinction could be a matter of preference. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-19T10:34:45.250Z
_今天的收入涨幅了二倍_, I believe 涨幅 is a noun and you cannot use it as a verb? Shouldn't it be 今天的收入涨了二倍 or 今天的收入涨幅达到(了)二倍? Though I've never heard 二倍 being used like this.
zypA13510
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-19T08:47:10.293Z
2020-03-19T09:43:19.353Z
2020-03-19T09:43:19.353Z
Wayne Cheah
<p>Both <a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E4%BA%8C%E5%80%8D" rel="nofollow noreferrer">二倍</a> and <a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E4%B8%A4%E5%80%8D" rel="nofollow noreferrer">两倍</a> mean "double".  I'm wondering if there's any distinction between the two, e.g. with respect to grammar, or when to use which.  (There is ordinarily a difference in usage between 二 and 两.)</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: Is there any distinction between 二倍 and 两倍?</p>

<p>It's not mentioned on the Chinese Grammar Wiki page <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22multiples%22_with_%22bei%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Expressing "multiples" with "bei"</a>.</p>

<hr>

<p>This question is not a duplicate of <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/9295/when-to-use-%e4%b8%80%e5%80%8d-vs-%e4%b8%a4%e5%80%8d">When to use 一倍 vs 两倍</a> nor <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29938/saying-doubled-in-chinese-%e4%b8%80%e5%80%8d-vs-%e4%b8%a4%e5%80%8d">Saying &#39;doubled&#39; in Chinese 一倍 vs 两倍</a> which ask about 一倍, while this question asks about 二倍.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-22T02:33:43.533Z
二倍 is mainly  literary, 两倍 can be colloquial or literary
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-22T03:22:03.770Z
Hmm... it seems I asked about [二百 vs. 两百](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/29493/8099) previously too.
Becky 李蓓
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-24T01:54:52.460Z
You probably want to ask 二 vs 两 too. The answers are on https://ref.ncl.edu.tw/%E5%AD%B8%E7%A7%91%E5%B0%88%E5%AE%B6%E8%AB%AE%E8%A9%A2%E5%B9%B3%E5%8F%B0/%E7%9F%A5%E8%AD%98%E5%85%B1%E4%BA%AB%E5%9C%88-%E6%96%87%E7%AB%A0/%E6%AA%A2%E8%A6%96%E6%96%87%E7%AB%A0/1346- and http://www.pcerc.org/HJZHY/HJ904/HJ904_05.htm
wada
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-07T09:15:39.027Z
difference between 二 and 两 is only related to pronunciation and tunes, 4th tune requires more power to pronounce it, 3rd tune gives you a chance to pronounce it slowly, so you get rest. In Chinese, we don't pronounce 2 adjacent 3rd tunes, instead we must change the first character to 2nd tune, e.g. 处理 , according to same reason, you need select a correct variant to pronounce the word easily and get rest. “两” 发音时缓慢省力，而“二” 费力。 汉语发音讲究抑扬顿挫，合理的音调组合能节省气力。比如，如果你一个小时的演讲大部分的词用 ４声调，你会觉得非常累，我们就需要找到可以省力的词。所以大家最后习惯了使用那些发音上更省气力的词汇。
Daniel Yang
<difference>
Is there any distinction between 二倍 and 两倍?
# Is there any distinction between 二倍 and 两倍?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-22)

Both [二倍](http://youdao.com/w/%E4%BA%8C%E5%80%8D) and [两倍](http://youdao.com/w/%E4%B8%A4%E5%80%8D) mean "double". I'm wondering if there's any distinction between the two, e.g. with respect to grammar, or when to use which. (There is ordinarily a difference in usage between 二 and 两.)

**Question**: Is there any distinction between 二倍 and 两倍?

It's not mentioned on the Chinese Grammar Wiki page [Expressing "multiples" with "bei"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22multiples%22_with_%22bei%22).

---

This question is not a duplicate of [When to use 一倍 vs 两倍](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/9295/when-to-use-%e4%b8%80%e5%80%8d-vs-%e4%b8%a4%e5%80%8d) nor [Saying 'doubled' in Chinese 一倍 vs 两倍](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29938/saying-doubled-in-chinese-%e4%b8%80%e5%80%8d-vs-%e4%b8%a4%e5%80%8d) which ask about 一倍, while this question asks about 二倍.

**Tags:** difference

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 二倍 is mainly  literary, 两倍 can be colloquial or literary  
> **username_0**: Hmm... it seems I asked about [二百 vs. 两百](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/29493/8099) previously too.  
> **username_2**: You probably want to ask 二 vs 两 too. The answers are on https://ref.ncl.edu.tw/%E5%AD%B8%E7%A7%91%E5%B0%88%E5%AE%B6%E8%AB%AE%E8%A9%A2%E5%B9%B3%E5%8F%B0/%E7%9F%A5%E8%AD%98%E5%85%B1%E4%BA%AB%E5%9C%88-%E6%96%87%E7%AB%A0/%E6%AA%A2%E8%A6%96%E6%96%87%E7%AB%A0/1346- and http://www.pcerc.org/HJZHY/HJ904/HJ904_05.htm  
> **username_3**: difference between 二 and 两 is only related to pronunciation and tunes, 4th tune requires more power to pronounce it, 3rd tune gives you a chance to pronounce it slowly, so you get rest. In Chinese, we don't pronounce 2 adjacent 3rd tunes, instead we must change the first character to 2nd tune, e.g. 处理 , according to same reason, you need select a correct variant to pronounce the word easily and get rest. “两” 发音时缓慢省力，而“二” 费力。 汉语发音讲究抑扬顿挫，合理的音调组合能节省气力。比如，如果你一个小时的演讲大部分的词用 ４声调，你会觉得非常累，我们就需要找到可以省力的词。所以大家最后习惯了使用那些发音上更省气力的词汇。  

---

## 8 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-10-22. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

They are exactly the same. Maybe, 两倍 is used more frequently than 二倍, but I don't have actual data to support it. It's just my impression.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2019-10-28. Score: 2

In short, the character 两 often precedes a quantifier, while 二 does not.
In ordinary life, we prefer 两倍/个/斤 to 二倍/个/斤.

However, when it comes to science and technology, 二 is preferred to 两. There is a jargon 二倍体(diploid) but 两倍体 does not exist.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-24. Score: 1

If you focus on the usage of "double" only, 二倍 and 两倍 are the same, but 两倍 is more standard and common usage.

Strictly speaking, 二倍 is very nonstandard, it could be considered wrong in some cases.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2019-10-28. Score: 1

二倍 could also be used in Cantonese meaning two times of something.

E.g. 卖出二倍的价钱-selling at two times the price

两倍 is used in Mandarin.

E.g. 两倍价钱-two times the price


---

### Answer by username_7 on 2019-10-29. Score: 0

两倍 is more often used than 二倍，because "二" sometimes means "stupid".
Like “不要这么二！” means "don't be stupid".


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2020-03-19. Score: 0

1. 二倍 is more formal.
   eg. （in a government annual report）由于一系列利好政策，今年我市税收达到去年的二倍。
2. 两倍 is more oral.
   The examples is too many.
   我的饭量是你的两倍。
   这支基金净值已经增长了两倍。

The meanings are equal actually because 2 = 两.

> **Comments:**
> **username_9**: _由于一系列利好政策，今年我市税收达到去年的二倍_ where did you read this? I'm not sure I have seen this used anywhere (news etc.). However, if it's a fractional number, then yes, both 二点五倍/两点五倍 are fine for 2.5 times.  
> **username_8**: Maybe you read 2倍 as 两倍，I regard it as 二倍 in government or other serious style   articles.  
> **username_9**: That's why I asked **where did you read this**? Any **source**?  
> **username_8**: https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=HshUDHymUs8C&pg=RA3-PA59&dq=2%E5%80%8D%E4%BB%A5%E4%B8%8A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjygrud_6boAhX78HMBHc7XAZIQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=2%E5%80%8D%E4%BB%A5%E4%B8%8A&f=false     section 45 . My example is not that proper.But I cannot find 两倍 only 2倍 in this book.  

---

### Answer by username_10 on 2019-10-31. Score: 0

the same, just a habit.
in number we use 一二三四五六七八九十.
but for thing we used to use 兩個、兩隻、兩張、兩百、兩萬

funny example 222,222,222

we used to call it 兩億兩千兩百二十二萬兩千兩百二十二

if you can't remember, always use 二 is fine


---

### Answer by username_11 on 2020-03-19. Score: 0

**Question: Is there any distinction between 二倍 and 两倍?**

It actually comes down to situational preference and the distinction is marginal at best.

Other contributors have already made some pointers.

However, I just wish to add that:-

(1) when making a general dimensional comparison, 两倍 is preferred; such as 两倍大, (twice as big), and 两倍多, (more than double)

(2) Also 两 is *preferred* when it involves an approximation without quantification when things are figuratively "doubled", like, 他眼睛比我的大两倍, (his eyes are twice as big as mine)

(3) 二倍 is *preferred* when some quantifiable comparison is made, like, 今天的收入涨幅了二倍，(today's income increased by two times) because 倍 by itself means "times" as in "how many times" something has increased by.

But, **in most cases**, the two words are interchangeable and any distinction could be a matter of preference.

> **Comments:**
> **username_9**: _今天的收入涨幅了二倍_, I believe 涨幅 is a noun and you cannot use it as a verb? Shouldn't it be 今天的收入涨了二倍 or 今天的收入涨幅达到(了)二倍? Though I've never heard 二倍 being used like this.  

---

