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Although yen suggests no more than a strong desire these days (as in "a yen for a beach vacation"), at one time someone with a yen was in deep trouble: the first meaning of yen was an intense craving for opium. The word comes from Cantonese yīn-yáhn, a combination of yīn, meaning "opium," and yáhn, "craving." In English, the Chinese syllables were translated as yen-yen.
Synonyms
Examples of yen in a Sentence
Ollie Barder, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
In the year to February 2024 the group posted a net profit of 224 billion yen ($1.7 billion).
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Asia, 13 Sep. 2024
How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay
In honor of the hotel's opening, Four Seasons Osaka is offering guests 15 percent off rooms and a dining and spa credit of 10,000 yen (around $70).
—Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2024
Each winner will receive 15 million yen, or around $105,000.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 10 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for yen 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near yen
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“Yen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yen. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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