<p>This is more idiolectal. I personally use more 两百, which are also the preference of the most people I met within so many years.</p>

<p>However, in some context, it should be fixed. For example, we say someone is 二百五 which  means someone is an idiot. In this context, 二百五 sounds idiomatic. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-17T12:42:03.463Z
2018-04-17T12:42:03.463Z
dan
<p>Besides the answers about the meanings in number, I want to add a special usage of 二百, which could be an abbr. of 第二百货公司。</p>

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2018-04-17T18:42:21.667Z
2018-04-17T18:42:21.667Z
Kurt Song
<p>I specifically remember asking my Mom about this in my childhood years, because it seemed so bizarre. I believe the answer was that 二、貳 are to be used for proper writing. While I would say 一千兩百塊，I would write 一千二百元。</p>

<p>On the Internet, I came across similar forum discussions, which I’m sure you’ve seen for yourself. <a href="https://www.chiculture.net/0615/html/d12/0615d12.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Here’s</a> a more authoritative one, although what it says about usage for number values isn’t quite what I remember. Then again, language is fluid.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-18T02:06:29.673Z
2018-04-18T02:06:29.673Z
judester
<p>Both <a href="http://dict.cn/%E4%BA%8C%E7%99%BE" rel="nofollow noreferrer">二百</a> (èrbǎi) and <a href="http://dict.cn/%E4%B8%A4%E7%99%BE" rel="nofollow noreferrer">两百</a> (liǎng bǎi) mean "two hundred".  Baidu gives them 55.1 million and 31.5 million hits, respectively, indicating 二百 is somewhat more common.  I'm wondering if there's any difference between the two, or if they're identical.</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: Is there any distinction between 二百 and 两百?</p>

<p><a href="https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/64477541.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Baidu Zhidao</a> suggest people in the south of China prefer 两百, but I'm not sure if this is accurate.</p>

<p>This question does not apply here: <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/755/8099">Number two in chinese: 二 vs 两</a>. I'm aware both are acceptable for meaning "two hundred".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-17T05:20:31.343Z
in Taiwan you will only hear 兩百
Leo supports Monica Cellio
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-17T05:34:55.167Z
there's really not much difference. personally, I feel 二百 a little bit more formal than 两百, just a little bit ~
Jason Swift
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-17T05:47:50.243Z
There is no different in meaning. There may be personal or region preference.
fefe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-17T06:10:04.187Z
＂实用现代汉语语法＂第二编 词类 第三章 数词和量词 第一节 数词 **五、几个特殊数词的用法**  **（一）［二］和［两］**  ２。用在位数词前  ＂十＂前只能用＂二＂；＂百＂、＂千＂、＂万＂、＂亿＂位于数列中间时，一般用＂二＂，处于开头时，＂百＂前可以用＂两＂，＂千＂、＂万＂、＂亿＂前通常用＂两＂。如＂二十＂、＂二（两）百＂、＂二（两）百五十万＂、＂两千二百万＂、＂一百二十万＂、＂两亿二千万＂。
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-17T11:57:17.380Z
二百 is more common than 两百 in mainland China, but 两千 is more common than 二千. Either 两百 or 二千 is right but less used.
xenophōn
<difference><number>
Is there any distinction between 二百 (èrbǎi) and 两百 (liǎng bǎi) which both mean "two hundred"?
# Is there any distinction between 二百 (èrbǎi) and 两百 (liǎng bǎi) which both mean "two hundred"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-17)

Both [二百](http://dict.cn/%E4%BA%8C%E7%99%BE) (èrbǎi) and [两百](http://dict.cn/%E4%B8%A4%E7%99%BE) (liǎng bǎi) mean "two hundred". Baidu gives them 55.1 million and 31.5 million hits, respectively, indicating 二百 is somewhat more common. I'm wondering if there's any difference between the two, or if they're identical.

**Question**: Is there any distinction between 二百 and 两百?

[Baidu Zhidao](https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/64477541.html) suggest people in the south of China prefer 两百, but I'm not sure if this is accurate.

This question does not apply here: [Number two in chinese: 二 vs 两](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/755/8099). I'm aware both are acceptable for meaning "two hundred".

**Tags:** difference, number
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: in Taiwan you will only hear 兩百  
> **username_2**: there's really not much difference. personally, I feel 二百 a little bit more formal than 两百, just a little bit ~  
> **username_3**: There is no different in meaning. There may be personal or region preference.  
> **username_4**: ＂实用现代汉语语法＂第二编 词类 第三章 数词和量词 第一节 数词 **五、几个特殊数词的用法**  **（一）［二］和［两］**  ２。用在位数词前  ＂十＂前只能用＂二＂；＂百＂、＂千＂、＂万＂、＂亿＂位于数列中间时，一般用＂二＂，处于开头时，＂百＂前可以用＂两＂，＂千＂、＂万＂、＂亿＂前通常用＂两＂。如＂二十＂、＂二（两）百＂、＂二（两）百五十万＂、＂两千二百万＂、＂一百二十万＂、＂两亿二千万＂。  
> **username_5**: 二百 is more common than 两百 in mainland China, but 两千 is more common than 二千. Either 两百 or 二千 is right but less used.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-04-17. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

This is more idiolectal. I personally use more 两百, which are also the preference of the most people I met within so many years.

However, in some context, it should be fixed. For example, we say someone is 二百五 which means someone is an idiot. In this context, 二百五 sounds idiomatic.


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### Answer by username_7 on 2018-04-17. Score: 1

Besides the answers about the meanings in number, I want to add a special usage of 二百, which could be an abbr. of 第二百货公司。


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### Answer by username_8 on 2018-04-18. Score: 0

I specifically remember asking my Mom about this in my childhood years, because it seemed so bizarre. I believe the answer was that 二、貳 are to be used for proper writing. While I would say 一千兩百塊，I would write 一千二百元。

On the Internet, I came across similar forum discussions, which I’m sure you’ve seen for yourself. [Here’s](https://www.chiculture.net/0615/html/d12/0615d12.html) a more authoritative one, although what it says about usage for number values isn’t quite what I remember. Then again, language is fluid.


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