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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 was an intense craving for opium. The word comes from Cantonese yīn-yáhn, a combination of yīn, meaning "opium," and yáhn, "craving." In English, the Chinese syllables were translated as yen-yen.
Synonyms
Examples of yen in a Sentence
Noun (2)
I have a strange yen to take the day off from work
Verb
what car lover doesn't yen for a new car at the start of every model year
Recent Examples on the Web
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
Come nightfall, 292 skilled warriors gather, lured by the promise of a grand prize of 100 billion yen.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
The merged group has the potential to deliver revenue of 30 trillion yen ($191.4 billion) and operating profit of more than 3 trillion yen, said Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
Japan has seen a record influx of foreign tourists this year as the weak yen swells a post-pandemic travel boom.
—Afp, Fortune Asia, 23 Dec. 2024
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Noun
Cash for Kids This year alone, the government earmarked 5.3 trillion yen (about $34 billion) to help young families.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
Come nightfall, 292 skilled warriors gather, lured by the promise of a grand prize of 100 billion yen.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
The merged group has the potential to deliver revenue of 30 trillion yen ($191.4 billion) and operating profit of more than 3 trillion yen, said Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
Japan has seen a record influx of foreign tourists this year as the weak yen swells a post-pandemic travel boom.
—Afp, Fortune Asia, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for yen
Dictionary Entries Near yen
Cite this Entry
“Yen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yen. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.
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