Kwai
/kwaɪ/noun
A slang term for one yuan, the basic unit of Chinese currency.
Did you know?Kwai is an English spelling variant of Mandarin kuài, while the same pronunciation may also refer to the famous River Kwai in Thailand through a separate Thai place-name history.
Etymological Timeline
Modern English
English
kwai
“Slang term for one Chinese yuan”
20th Century
English
kwai
“Anglicized spelling used in English-language writing and speech”
Modern Mandarin
Mandarin
kuài (块)
“A colloquial unit or “piece,” commonly used for one yuan”
Late Imperial China
Chinese
kuài (块)
“A piece or lump; later extended colloquially to a unit of money”