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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
Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Fox News Digital previously reported that Japan plans to triple its international tourist tax from 1,000 yen, or about $6, to 3,000 yen, or about $18, per visitor as officials work to balance tourism growth with the quality of life for local residents.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Afternoon tea is huge in Tokyo, with diners shelling out nearly 90 billion yen each year to nibble scones and petit-fours.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2026
Total shareholder returns by TOPIX companies reached 43 trillion yen in fiscal 2025, while buyback announcements remained robust during the latest earnings season.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 1 June 2026
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Noun
Measures to help reduce stress Yasunaga said the 70 million yen (approximately $437,000) project consists of four repairs, of which one is the installation of an air conditioner.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Fox News Digital previously reported that Japan plans to triple its international tourist tax from 1,000 yen, or about $6, to 3,000 yen, or about $18, per visitor as officials work to balance tourism growth with the quality of life for local residents.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Afternoon tea is huge in Tokyo, with diners shelling out nearly 90 billion yen each year to nibble scones and petit-fours.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2026
Total shareholder returns by TOPIX companies reached 43 trillion yen in fiscal 2025, while buyback announcements remained robust during the latest earnings season.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 1 June 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 12 Jun. 2026.
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