noun
yen
yehn
noun
1
The official currency of Japan, symbol ¥.
"He exchanged his dollars for yen at the airport."
2
A strong craving or longing for something.
"She had a sudden yen for spicy noodles."
verb
1
To have a strong desire for something.
"He yenned for a slower, simpler life after years in the city."
How to Use Yen
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither Japan's money, or (informally) a strong urge or craving for something.
Common mistake
The currency and the "craving" sense are unrelated words that happen to be spelled the same.
Common pairings
a yen for something
the Japanese yen
Word Forms
yenned past tense, yen plural, yens plural, yens singular
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He exchanged his dollars for _____ at the airport.
Etymology
The currency sense comes from Japanese en ("round object"), via Chinese yinyuan ("round silver piece"). The "craving" sense is unrelated, tracing instead to an old slang word for a craving for opium.