Usage of the character 两

(idiom) to suffer the departure of sb (talented staff or one's spouse etc) and a financial loss as well; to get burned both romantically and financially

liǎng'ànsāndì

两岸三地

[兩岸三地]

China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau (media term used esp. since 1997)

liǎngquánqíměi

两全其美

[兩全其美]

to satisfy rival demands (idiom)
to get the best of both worlds
to have it both ways
to have one's cake and eat it too

sānfānliǎngcì

三番两次

[三番兩次]

repeatedly (idiom)

bànjīnbāliǎng

半斤八两

[半斤八兩]

not much to choose between the two
tweedledum and tweedledee

liǎngjiáshēngjīn

两颊生津

[兩頰生津]

mouth-watering
to whet one's appetite

zuǒyòuliǎngnán

左右两难

[左右兩難]

(idiom) between a rock and a hard place
in a dilemma

shìbùliǎnglì

誓不两立

[誓不兩立]

the two cannot exist together (idiom); irreconcilable differences
incompatible standpoints

sāntiānliǎngtóu

三天两头

[三天兩頭]

lit. twice every three days (idiom); practically every day
frequently

quējīnshǎoliǎng

缺斤少两

[缺斤少兩]

to give short weight

liǎngxìngyìxíng

两性异形

[兩性異形]

sexual dimorphism

quējīnduǎnliǎng

缺斤短两

[缺斤短兩]

to give short weight

réncáiliǎngshī

人财两失

[人財兩失]

see 人財兩空／人财两空 (réncáiliǎngkōng)

shǒushǔliǎngduān

首鼠两端

[首鼠兩端]

(idiom) to hesitate
to remain undecided

liǎngxìngdòngwù

两性动物

[兩性動物]

hermaphrodite creature

duǎnjīnquēliǎng

短斤缺两

[短斤缺兩]

to give short weight

fēnxīngbāiliǎng

分星掰两

[分星掰兩]

punctilious
clear and detailed

Liǎnghé Liúyù

两河流域

[兩河流域]

Mesopotamia

jìntuìliǎngnán

进退两难

[進退兩難]

no room to advance or to retreat (idiom); without any way out of a dilemma
trapped
in an impossible situation

liǎngshǒukōngkōng

两手空空

[兩手空空]

empty-handed (idiom); fig. not receiving anything

liǎngjífēnhuà

两极分化

[兩極分化]

polarization

liǎngxìnglízǐ

两性离子

[兩性離子]

(chemistry) zwitterion

liǎngdànyīxīng

两弹一星

[兩彈一星]

(China's achievements of) producing an atomic bomb (1964) and hydrogen bomb (1967) and launching a satellite into space (1970)

yīshēnliǎngyì

一身两役

[一身兩役]

one person taking on two tasks simultaneously

liǎngguóguānxì

两国关系

[兩國關係]

bilateral relations

sānyánliǎngyǔ

三言两语

[三言兩語]

in a few words (idiom); expressed succinctly

móléngliǎngkě

模棱两可

[模稜兩可]

equivocal
ambiguous

zhēngjīnlùnliǎng

争斤论两

[爭斤論兩]

to haggle over every ounce (idiom)
to to fuss over minor points
to be particular about sth

jièyúliǎngnán

介于两难

[介於兩難]

to be on the horns of a dilemma (idiom)

liǎnggèzhōngguó

两个中国

[兩個中國]

two-China (policy)

lǎoliǎngkǒur

老两口儿

[老兩口兒]

an old married couple

qīngfēngliǎngxiù

清风两袖

[清風兩袖]

honest and upright (idiom)

liǎngqíngliǎngyuàn

两情两愿

[兩情兩願]

by mutual consent (north China dialect)

sānxiàliǎngxià

三下两下

[三下兩下]

quickly and effortlessly (idiom)

Liǎnghéwénmíng

两河文明

[兩河文明]

Mesopotamian civilization

liǎngxìngchājù

两性差距

[兩性差距]

disparity between the sexes

liǎngxiāngqíngyuàn

两厢情愿

[兩廂情願]

both sides are willing
by mutual consent

liǎngbǎshuāzi

两把刷子

[兩把刷子]

ability
skill

liǎngguǎngzǒngdū

两广总督

[兩廣總督]

Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi

yīzhéliǎngduàn

一折两段

[一折兩段]

to split sth into two (idiom)

pànruòliǎngrén

判若两人

[判若兩人]

to be a different person
not to be one's usual self

réncáiliǎngwàng

人财两旺

[人財兩旺]

(idiom) thriving; (of a city) populous and wealthy; (of a family) large and prosperous

làzhúliǎngtóushāo

蜡烛两头烧

[蠟燭兩頭燒]

to burn the candle at both ends (idiom)
to labor under a double burden

Hànzéibùliǎnglì

汉贼不两立

[漢賊不兩立]

lit. Shu Han 蜀漢／蜀汉 ( Shǔ Hàn) and Cao Wei 曹魏 ( Cáo Wèi) cannot coexist (idiom)
fig. two enemies cannot live under the same sky
(former KMT slogan against CCP) "gentlemen and thieves cannot coexist"

zháosānbùzháoliǎng

着三不着两

[著三不著兩]

scatter-brained
thoughtless

sìliǎngbōqiānjīn

四两拨千斤

[四兩撥千斤]

lit. four ounces can move a thousand catties (idiom)
fig. to achieve much with little effort

jiǎotàliǎngzhīchuán

脚踏两只船

[腳踏兩隻船]

to have a foot in both camps
to have a bet each way
to be having an affair

jiǎocǎiliǎngzhīchuán

脚踩两只船

[腳踩兩隻船]

see 腳踏兩隻船／脚踏两只船 (jiǎotàliǎngzhīchuán)

jiǎotàliǎngtiáochuán

脚踏两条船

[腳踏兩條船]

lit. to stand with each foot in a different boat (idiom)
fig. to have it both ways
to run after two hares
(especially) to have two lovers at the same time

yīfēnqiánliǎngfēnhuò

一分钱两分货

[一分錢兩分貨]

high quality at bargain price

yīgetóuliǎnggedà

一个头两个大

[一個頭兩個大]

(coll.) to feel as though one's head could explode (Tw)

yīhuíshēngliǎnghuíshú

一回生两回熟

[一回生兩回熟]

see 一回生二回熟 (yīhuíshēng'èrhuíshú)

liǎngshǒubùzhānyángchūnshuǐ

两手不沾阳春水

[兩手不沾陽春水]

see 十指不沾陽春水／十指不沾阳春水 (shízhǐbùzhānyángchūnshuǐ)

cǐdìwúyínsānbǎiliǎng

此地无银三百两

[此地無銀三百兩]

lit. 300 silver taels not hidden here (idiom); fig. to reveal what one intends to hide

liǎng'ěrbùwénchuāngwàishì

两耳不闻窗外事

[兩耳不聞窗外事]

to pay no attention to outside matters

yīcìshēng,liǎngcìshú

一次生，两次熟

[一次生，兩次熟]

unfamiliar at first but you get used to it
strangers are first meeting, but soon friends
an acquired taste

Hǎixiá Liǎng'àn Guānxi Xiéhuì

海峡两岸关系协会

[海峽兩岸關係協會]

PRC Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS)

yījiārénbùshuōliǎngjiāhuà

一家人不说两家话

[一家人不說兩家話]

lit. family members speak frankly with one another, not courteously, as if they were from two different families (idiom)
fig. people don't need to be deferential when they ask a family member for help
people from the same family should stick together (and good friends likewise)

sāntiāndǎyú,liǎngtiānshàiwǎng

三天打鱼，两天晒网

[三天打魚，兩天曬網]

lit. to fish for three days and sun-dry the nets for two days (proverb)
fig. not to persevere in doing sth
to do sth by fits and starts

liǎnghǔxiāngzhēng,bìyǒuyīshāng

两虎相争，必有一伤

[兩虎相爭，必有一傷]

lit. if two tigers fight, one will get injured (idiom)
fig. if you start a war, someone is bound to get hurt

liǎnghǔxiāngdòu,bìyǒuyīshāng

两虎相斗，必有一伤

[兩虎相鬥，必有一傷]

lit. when two tigers fight, one will get injured (idiom)
fig. if it comes to a fight, someone will get hurt

liǎngguóxiāngzhēng,bùzhǎnláishǐ

两国相争，不斩来使

[兩國相爭，不斬來使]

when two kingdoms are at war, they don't execute envoys (idiom)