Renminbi
/ˌrɛn.mɪnˈbiː/noun
The official currency of the People’s Republic of China.
Did you know?Renminbi was introduced in 1948 by the People’s Bank of China, shortly before the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949; the word itself means “people’s currency.”
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
人 (rén)
“Person or human being”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
民 (mín)
“The people; the populace”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
幣 (bì)
“Currency, money, or a form of exchange”
1948
Modern Chinese
人民币 (rénmínbì)
“People’s currency; the official currency issued by the People’s Bank of China”
20th Century
English
renminbi
“The Chinese currency, adopted as an English loanword”
Modern English
English
renminbi
“The official currency of the People’s Republic of China, commonly abbreviated RMB”