Meaning & use
yen
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Meanings
nouncountable
The money used in Japan.
Grammar: The plural is also yen: one hundred yen, not yens.
Patterns
- X yen
- the price in yen
The ticket costs 500 yen.
He exchanged his dollars for yen at the airport.
The yen became stronger against the dollar this month.
nounsingularinformal
A strong wish or craving to do or have something.
Grammar: Usually used with an and followed by for or to: a yen for sweets, a yen to travel.
Patterns
- a yen for something
- a yen to do something
She suddenly had a yen for chocolate at midnight.
After years in the city, he felt a yen to live by the sea.
I have a yen to learn the violin.
Word forms
| plural | yen |
|---|
Common combinations
- a yen for something
- He has a yen for old movies.
- a yen to travel
- She felt a yen to travel the world.
- exchange rate of the yen
- The exchange rate of the yen affects Japanese exports.
- a strong yen
- A strong yen makes imports cheaper in Japan.
Synonyms and how they differ
- craving
- Craving is usually stronger and often about food or substances, while yen is milder and more casual.
- urge
- Urge suggests a sudden pressure to act, whereas yen is a lasting wish.
- longing
- Longing is deeper and often sad, but yen is light and everyday.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: yen or yen?
yen vs yen
Yen as currency and yen as craving are separate words with different origins, so context decides which meaning is intended.
Practice
"Lately I've had a ____ to go hiking every weekend."
Choose one answer.
A yen to do something means a wish to do it. Yearn is a verb, yens is not used, and yawn is a different word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “yen”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.