Kuai
/kwaɪ/noun
An informal English term for one Chinese yuan, especially in spoken Mandarin-influenced usage.
Did you know?In Mandarin, 块 originally meant a lump, chunk, or piece; using it for money reflects an old measure-by-piece way of speaking rather than the currency’s official name.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
塊 (*kʰˤuj-s)
“A lump, chunk, or piece; the ancestor of the modern currency term.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
塊 (khwajH)
“A piece, mass, or lump.”
19th–20th Century
Mandarin
块 (kuài)
“A piece or unit; colloquially, one yuan of money.”
20th Century
English
kuai
“An informal English borrowing for a Chinese yuan.”
Modern English
English
kuai
“A colloquial term for one Chinese yuan, generally used in contexts discussing China or Mandarin.”