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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
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 20 June 2024
The entrance fee for Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Hyōgo Prefecture, is currently 1,000 yen — roughly $7 — for visitors ages 18 and up.
—Anika Arora Seth, Washington Post, 19 June 2024
Finance Ministry data reported Wednesday showed that the trade deficit totaled 1.22 trillion yen ($7.7 billion), down nearly 12% from 1.38 trillion yen a year earlier.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 19 June 2024
The host was arrested and accused of facilitating the prostitution of his female customer after driving her into a debt of 10 million yen (around £58, 980) using the sale-on-credit system.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week Uk, theweek, 31 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for yen 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Yen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yen. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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