两口子

• Pinyin: liǎng kǒu zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 两 = 一 + 从 (two — originally depicted a scale with two balanced sides); 口 = mouth radical (also an informal measure word for people); 子 = child radical (diminutive/affectionate suffix)

Meaning

Husband and wife; a married couple. A colloquial and affectionate term for a couple living together.

An informal, warm-sounding expression for a married couple. Common in everyday spoken Chinese and in depictions of family life. Conveys a sense of domesticity and intimacy. Equivalent in meaning to 夫妻 but more colloquial and friendly in tone. The 口 (mouth/person) serves as an informal measure word for people, and 子 functions as a diminutive suffix.

Examples

1. 这两口子相濡以沫，携手走过了五十多年的风风雨雨。 This husband and wife stood by each other through thick and thin, weathering more than fifty years together.
2. 邻居两口子感情很好，每天晚饭后都会一起去公园散步。 The couple next door has a great relationship—they take a walk in the park together after dinner every day.
3. 他们两口子各自事业有成，却始终把家庭放在第一位。 Both of them are successful in their careers, but they’ve always put family first.

Usage Guide

Context: family, daily life, spoken language

Tone: warm

Do Say

• 这两口子把小店打理得井井有条，生意也越来越红火。(This couple runs the small shop in an orderly manner, and business is getting better and better.)
• 两口子分工明确，一个主外一个主内，日子过得踏实而充实。(The couple has a clear division of labour — one handles outside affairs, the other manages the household — and life runs steadily and fully.)

Don't Say

• 在正式书面文体中使用'两口子' — 正式场合应用'夫妻'或'配偶'，两口子属于口语表达，不宜出现在正式公文或学术写作中

Origin & History

两 (two) + 口子 (colloquial for 'persons in a household') — two people forming a household unit

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal