二人

二人

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
二	人
ふた Grade: 1	り Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
2人

From Old Japanese.

• The most likely derivation is from 二 (futa, “2, two”) +‎ 人 (-ri, counter for persons).
• Alternatively, from 二 (fu, “2, two”, short-form) +‎ 人 (-tari, counter for persons).
• Yet another probable derivation would be a shift from 二 (futa, “2, two”) +‎ 人 (-tari):

  /puta tari/ → */put̚tari/ → /putari/ → /futari/

(Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
• (Tokyo) ふたり​ [fùtáríꜜ] (Odaka – [3])[1]
• IPA^(key): [ɸɯ̟ᵝta̠ɾʲi]

Noun

二(ふた)人(り) • (futari) 

1. two persons

   私(わたし)と二人(ふたり)きり

   watashi to futari-kiri

   just the two of us

   二人(ふたり)とも凄(すご)いですね

   futari-tomo sugoi desu ne

   those two are remarkable, aren't they / you two are remarkable, aren't you

2. a couple, pair

   二人(ふたり)で暮(く)らす

   futari de kurasu

   to live as a couple

3. (poetic) the two of us, we two
   • 711–712, Kojiki (poem 19)

     阿斯波良能(あしはらの)志祁志岐袁夜邇(しけしきをやに)須賀多多美(すがたたみ)伊夜佐夜斯岐弖(いやさやしきて)和賀(わが)布多理(ふたり)泥斯(ねし) [Man'yōgana]

     葦原(あしはら)のしけしき小屋(をや)に菅(すが)畳(だたみ)いやさや敷(し)きて我(わ)がふたり寝(ね)し [Modern spelling]

     ashihara no shikeshiki oya ni suga-datami iya saya shikite waga futari neshi

     (please add an English translation of this example)

Usage notes

• Like 一人 (hitori), despite its etymology, furigana notations for this word tend not to use mono-ruby by attaching kana to each kanji (二(ふた)人(り)), but group-ruby by attaching all the kana to all the kanji as a whole (二人(ふたり)).

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 二人(ふたり)口(ぐち) (futari-guchi)
• 二人(フタリ)静(シズカ) (futarishizuka)
• 二人(ふたり)大名(だいみょう) (Futari Daimyō)
• 二人(ふたり)使(づか)い (futari-zukai)
• 二人(ふたり)の主人(しゅじん)を一(いち)度(ど)に持(も)つと (Futari no Shujin o Ichido ni Motsu to)
• 二人(ふたり)の人間(にんげん) (Futari no Ningen)
• 二人(ふたり)のやもめ (Futari no Yamome)
• 二人(ふたり)乗(の)り (futari-nori)
• 二人(ふたり)袴(ばかま) (Futari-bakama)

Idioms

• 欲(よく)と二人(ふたり)連(づ)れ (yoku to futari-zure)

Proverbs

• 二人(ふたり)は伴侶(はんりょ)，三人(さんにん)は仲(なか)間(ま)割(わ)れ (futari wa hanryo, sannin wa nakamaware)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
二	人
に Grade: 1	にん Grade: 1
on’yomi

Alternative spelling
2人

Compound of Middle Chinese elements 二 (ni, “2, two”) +‎ 人 (nin, “man, person”).

Pronunciation

• On’yomi: Goon
• (Tokyo) にに​ん [nìníꜜǹ] (Nakadaka – [2])[1]
• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟iɲ̟ĩɴ]

Noun

二(に)人(にん) • (ninin) 

1. two persons
2. a couple, pair

Usage notes

The reading is only used in compounds in modern Japanese.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 二人(ににん)三脚(さんきゃく) (ninin sankyaku)
• 二人(ににん)称(しょう) (nininshō)
• 二人(ににん)道成寺(どうじょうじ) (Ninin Dōjōji)
• 二人(ににん)乗(の)り (ninin-nori)
• 二人(ににん)羽(ば)織(おり) (ninin-baori)
• 二人(ににん)比丘尼(びくに) (Ninin Bikuni)
• 二人(ににん)椀久(わんきゅう) (ninin wankyū)
• 同行(どうぎょう)二人(ににん) (dōgyō ninin)

See also

• 両人(りょうにん) (ryōnin, “both people”)
• 一人(ひとり) (hitori, “one person; loner”)
• 三人(みたり) (mitari, “three people”)
• 四人(よたり) (yotari, “four people”)
• 五人(いつたり) (itsutari, “five people”)
• 六人(むたり) (mutari, “six people”)
• 十人(とたり) (totari, “ten people”)

References

1. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN