yuan

noun

plural yuan
1
the basic monetary unit of the People's Republic of China see Money Table compare renminbi
2
: the dollar of the Republic of China (Taiwan)

Examples of yuan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pan said the rate cut is expected to save homeowners more than 20 billion yuan ($2.75 billion) annually in interest costs, easing the financial burden on households, amid recent signs of fragile recovery in the property markets of China's top-tier cities. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025 Chairman Wang projected in March that Pop Mart’s total sales could grow 50% year-on-year to over 20 billion yuan ($2.7 billion) in 2025. Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 Last year, the Chinese toymaker’s annual revenues in the region grew by 619% to over 2.4 billion yuan ($309 million). Chris Lau, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025 Indeed, on Tuesday China’s central bank set its reference rate for the Chinese yuan at the lowest level since September 2023 – a move considered a warning signal to Washington. Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yuan

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Beijing) yuán

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of yuan was in 1917

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yuan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yuan. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

yuan

noun
plural yuan
1
: the basic unit of money in China
2
: a coin or bill worth one yuan

Geographical Definition

Yuan

geographical name

Yu·​an ˈywen How to pronounce Yuan (audio)
ˈywän
1
river 500 miles (805 kilometers) long in southeast central China flowing from Guizhou northeast to northeastern Hunan
2

More from Merriam-Webster on yuan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!