Yen
/jɛn/noun
The basic monetary unit of Japan.
Did you know?The Japanese name en comes from the character 圓, meaning “round” or “circle,” linking the yen’s identity directly to the shape of traditional coins.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
圓 (yuán)
“Round, circular; later associated with a round coin or monetary unit”
Middle Chinese
Chinese
ɦˠiuᴇn
“Round or circular; the ancestor of later East Asian monetary terms”
17th Century
Japanese
en (円)
“Circle; adopted as the name of Japan’s currency because coins were round”
1871
Japanese
円 (en)
“The officially established monetary unit of Japan”
19th Century
English
yen
“English rendering of Japanese en, influenced by the spelling used in Western languages”
Modern English
English
yen
“The currency unit of Japan”