EN maru (yen, round)

ASCII Art Representation:

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Character Etymology:

Formerly drawn as a circle encompassing a round kettle to emphasize the idea of roundness and also lending its old pronounciation to express a circle. The meaning of coin (yen in Japan) stems from an association of the round shape of a coin with the meaning of the character.

Other Facts:

A mnemonic to remember the meaning of this character is to visualize the character as a pictograph of a bank-teller's window, from which round coins are issued.

A listing of all on-yomi and kun-yomi readings:

on-yomi: EN
kun-yomi: maru(i) mado(ka) maro(yaka)

Nanori Readings:

Nanori: tsubura nobu madoka mitsu

English Definitions:

1. EN: round coin, Yen (the Japanese currency, ¥)
2. mado(ka) na: round, tranquil.
3. maru(i), maro(yaka) na: round, circular, spherical.
4. tsubura na: round, rotund.
5. tsubura na: circle, coin, money

Unicode Encoded Version:

円

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

円形 (enkei): a circle.
百円 (hyakuen): one-hundred yen (100¥).
円満 (emman): perfection, harmony, peace, satisfaction, smoothness, integrity, completeness.
円錐形 (ensuikei): cone.

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The Webster1913 value for yen is horribly wrong. Here is a summary of the value of 1$ US in yen since then:
1913 1$ = .02 yen
1949-1971 1$ = 360 yen
1971-1973 1$ = 308 yen (after this it went to a floating value)
1994 1$ = 80 yen
2000 1$ = 105 yen
2001 1$ = 125 yen
2002 1$ = 133 yen
2003 1$ = 120 yen
2004 1$ = 110 yen

ignoring the 1913 value, the yen has gotten much less valuable since the bubble economy of the 80s crashed.

The word Yen also has another meaning in the English language: It means a craving.

This use of the word dates back to the days when Opium use was legal in Britain. Opium addicts used the slang term yen-yen, derived from the Cantonese "yin", (Opium), and "yan", (craving).

The word is used in the context of "having a yen for something".

Yen (?), n.

The unit of value and account in Japan. Since Japan's adoption of the gold standard, in 1897, the value of the yen has been about 50 cents. The yen is equal to 100 sen.

 

© Webster 1913.