yuan

noun

yu·​an ˈyü-ən  yü-ˈän 

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

Urban China recorded more than twice the disposable income as rural areas, at 56,502 yuan versus 24,456 yuan, according to official data accessed via Wind Information. — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

The handset is being sold for a promotional period at 5,699 yuan in China, which is equivalent to around $850. — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026

Ecobank agreed a partnership with China’s payment system to enable transaction settlements in the yuan currency. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Lamchiu itself closed a strategic financing round of more than 100 million yuan at the end of 2025. — Li Jun, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Beijing) yuán

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for yuan

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

yuan

noun

yu·​an ˈyü-ən  yu̇-ˈän 

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 

ˈywän

1

river 500 miles (805 kilometers) long in southeast central China flowing from Guizhou northeast to northeastern Hunan

2

see red sense 4