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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.
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
Jesse Pound, CNBC, 12 Apr. 2025
Weakening the dollar Relative to major currencies like the Swiss franc, Japanese yen and the euro, the dollar has weakened in response to the tariffs, Wells Fargo internationalist economist Brendan McKenna said.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 11 Apr. 2025
With only limited time and a ransom demand of 100 billion yen, the pressure mounts as each decision could mean life or death.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Long regarded as the country of stasis and stagflation, and currently grappling with the blessings and curses of a weak yen, the country is ready to play a greater role in the global entertainment ecosystem moving forward.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2025
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Noun
The greenback has seen particularly sharp drops against safe-haven currencies like the Japanese yen and Swiss franc, as well as the euro.
—Jesse Pound, CNBC, 12 Apr. 2025
Weakening the dollar Relative to major currencies like the Swiss franc, Japanese yen and the euro, the dollar has weakened in response to the tariffs, Wells Fargo internationalist economist Brendan McKenna said.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 11 Apr. 2025
With only limited time and a ransom demand of 100 billion yen, the pressure mounts as each decision could mean life or death.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Long regarded as the country of stasis and stagflation, and currently grappling with the blessings and curses of a weak yen, the country is ready to play a greater role in the global entertainment ecosystem moving forward.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yen
Cite this Entry
“Yen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yen. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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