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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, used in the late 19th century, was an intense craving for opium. The word comes from yīn-yáhn, a combination of yīn, meaning “opium,” and yáhn, “craving,” in the Chinese language used in the province of Guangdong. In English, the Chinese syllables were translated as yen-yen, and eventually shortened to yen.
Synonyms of yen
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Noun (2)
Verb
Examples of yen in a Sentence
Noun (2)
I have a strange yen to take the day off from work
Verb
A car lover who predictably yens for the latest and greatest new models.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Monster Wolf robots generally cost around 514,000 yen, or approximately $4,000 to $4,840 USD per unit, the BBC reported.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Overall, the SoftBank group posted a 5 trillion yen net profit for the year, aided mainly by the Vision Fund and its telecommunications division.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 13 May 2026
Speaking of which, the Hyosung GV250X is priced at 731,500 yen (roughly US$4,650) and is expected to launch in Japan as early next month.
—New Atlas, 11 May 2026
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Noun
If Japan wishes to continue its goal of expanding its anime endeavors in the overseas market from one trillion to six trillion yen ($38 billion) by 2033, Japanese companies will need to make a concerted effort in order to promote anime in the United States.
—Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Monster Wolf robots generally cost around 514,000 yen, or approximately $4,000 to $4,840 USD per unit, the BBC reported.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Overall, the SoftBank group posted a 5 trillion yen net profit for the year, aided mainly by the Vision Fund and its telecommunications division.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 13 May 2026
Speaking of which, the Hyosung GV250X is priced at 731,500 yen (roughly US$4,650) and is expected to launch in Japan as early next month.
—New Atlas, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for yen
Cite this Entry
“Yen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yen. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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