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

From a surprise yuan devaluation in 2015 to crackdowns in recent years on after-school tutoring and cross-border stock trading, many of Beijing's policy moves appear abrupt to outsiders. — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026

Rather than chasing immediate margins, BYD grew its 2024 revenues by 29% to 777 billion yuan, while CATL secured global battery dominance while revenue grew 17%. — Sajal Singh, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

More trade is being settled in yuan through China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, or CIPS, potentially reducing Washington’s ability to enforce sanctions through the dollar system. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026

The plan targets 60 trillion yuan, or almost $9 trillion, in annual retail sales by 2030. — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 29 July 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