Prefix meaning 'both' (as in both hands, both parents, both sides). Often used to indicate 'both of the two'.
両親に電話をかけた。
I called both of my parents.
財布は両方のポケットに分けて入れた。
I put the money into both pockets.
両手で箱を持って運んでください。
Please carry the box with both hands.
A counter for carriages/vehicles (e.g., train cars). Used to count cars or vehicles: 'two cars', 'three-car formation', etc.
この電車は二両編成だ。
This train is made up of two cars.
荷物は各車両に分けて載せてください。
Please load the luggage distributed among the cars.
Ryō: a traditional unit of weight (tael) used for gold, silver, and medicines; roughly 15–19 grams depending on standard.
昔は金一両で大金持ちになれたと言われる。
It is said that in the past one ryō of gold could make you wealthy.
Ryō: a pre-Meiji unit of currency (originally the value of one ryō of gold). A historical monetary unit, not used today.
江戸時代の1両は当時の大きな財産であった。
One ryō in the Edo period was a considerable fortune at the time.
A traditional measure for fabric (a ryō as a unit related to 'tan'), historically used to measure lengths of cloth (e.g., sometimes equated with two tan). Historical usage.
古い記録には布一両という単位が使われている。
Old records use the unit 'one ryō' for fabric.
(Archaism) Another historical ryō weight under the ritsuryō system (about 1/16 kin, roughly 42–43 g). A term found in historical contexts.
律令時代の税制では、金銀の計量に両という単位が用いられた。
In the ritsuryō era taxation system, the unit 'ryō' was used to weigh gold and silver.
(Archaic) A counter once used for suits of clothing, sets of armor, etc. Largely obsolete today.
武士は鎧一領を所持していた。
The samurai owned one suit of armor.