The word
٢
ithnan
two · 2What it is
٢ is the Arabic two.
It's 2 in the Eastern Arabic numerals, the digits printed alongside Arabic script in Egypt, the Levant, Iraq and the Gulf. North Africa west of Libya uses the same 0 to 9 you do. The Arabic name for the number is ithnan (اِثْنان).
A hook: flat on top, with a tail that drops and curls to the left. People read it as a backwards 7 at first. Numbers inside Arabic text run left to right even though the words run right to left, so ٢٠٢٦ reads 2026.
Character٢
Value2
Nameithnan اِثْنان
UnicodeU+0662
Looks likeA hook: flat on top, with a tail that drops and curls to the left. People read it as a backwards 7 at first.
How to type it
Getting ٢ out of your keyboard.
There's no special key. With an Arabic layout switched on, the number row usually types these digits instead of 0 to 9, and the layout that ships with every OS is a two-minute setup.
- WindowsSwitch to Arabic (101) with Win+Space and press 2 on the number row. The row types Arabic digits while that layout is active; the numpad keeps typing 0 to 9.
- iPhoneHold the globe key, pick Arabic, then tap ١٢٣. The number layer is the Arabic row, with ٢ in the same place 2 would be.
- AndroidSame idea on Gboard and Samsung Keyboard: switch to Arabic, open the number layer. If it shows 0 to 9 instead, the keyboard's settings have a native-digits toggle.
- MacApple ships several Arabic input sources and they don't agree about the number row. Open Keyboard Viewer with yours active and look at the top row; if it shows 0 to 9, try the plain “Arabic” source instead of the PC one.
- AnywhereCopy it from the card above. In Word, type 0662 and press Alt+X.
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