Yen
[yen]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Chinese, late 19th century
1.
A longing or yearning.
2.
The basic monetary unit of Japan.
Examples of Yen in a sentence
"Nathan always had a yen for an ice-cream sundae after a concert."
"He spent most of his yen on souvenirs before the group even reached the hot springs."
About Yen
This word is thought to have originated from the Chinese word “yǎn” (craving). There is a chance that this term was also influenced by the word “yān” (opium), as it describes something that induces an intense yearning or longing feeling.
Did you Know?
Yen isn’t just a noun describing a longing or yearning feeling — it is also a noun that describes Japan’s currency. While other countries have names for different categories of their currency — such as the United States’ dollars, quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies — Japanese currency is called yen whether it is paper money or a coin. Yen can appear as bills or as coins, and are differentiated from each other by variations in shape, color, and value.
