二人

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?)

• (Tokyo) ふたり [fùtáríꜜ] (Odaka – [3])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [ɸɯ̟ta̠ɾʲi]

• (Tokyo) Note: Generally, words that are Odaka become flat with の (の-particle deaccenting). However, the word 二人 does not become deaccented with の and is still pronounced as:

• ふたりの
• Category:Japanese terms with Odaka pitch accent not deaccented before の (Tōkyō)

二(ふた)人(り) • (futari) 

1. two people

   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)

• 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)).

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

• 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)

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

• (Tokyo) ににん [nìníꜜǹ] (Nakadaka – [2])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟iɲ̟ĩɴ]

二(に)人(にん) • (ninin) 

1. two persons
2. a couple, pair

The reading is only used in compounds in modern Japanese.

• 両人(りょうにん) (ryōnin, “both people”)