yen

¹ American  

[yen] / yɛn /

noun

1. an aluminum coin and monetary unit of Japan, equal to 100 sen or 1000 rin. ¥; Y

2. a former silver coin of Japan.

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yen ² American  

[yen] / yɛn /

noun

1. a desire or craving.

   I had a yen for apple pie.

   Synonyms:

   appetite, hunger, hankering, longing

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verb (used without object)

yenned, yenning

1. to have a craving; yearn.

yen ¹ British  

/ jɛn /

noun

1. a passionate, ardent, or intense longing or desire

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verb

1. (intr) to yearn

yen ² British  

/ jɛn /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Japan, (notionally) divided into 100 sen

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yen Idioms  

1. see have a yen for.

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Usage

What does yen mean? Yen is a monetary unit of Japan similar to a dollar. It comes in the form of a coin that’s also called a yen. The symbol for yen is ¥. Like a dollar, it can be divided into 100 parts called sen (though sen are not used in practice). The plural of yen is yen. Unrelatedly, yen is a slang term meaning a strong craving, desire, or yearning. It’s especially used in the phrase have a yen for. It can also be used as a verb meaning to crave or strongly desire. Example: Ever since I came back from Italy, I’ve had a yen for fresh pasta.

Etymology

Origin of yen¹

1870–75; < Japanese ( y ) en < Chinese yuán yuan

Origin of yen²

1905–10, probably < dialectal Chinese (OAGuangdong) yáhn, akin to Chinese yǐn craving, addiction

Explanation

Besides being the name of the Japanese currency, yen (a different yen) means a casual desire. You can have a yen for sushi, and if you're in Japan, you can pay for the sushi with the yen in your wallet. Yen is a casual word––think of it like "hankering." If you have an easy time remembering rhymes, think "I sometimes have a yen, to go back home again." Sometimes yen can even work as a verb––you can yen for pancakes, or yen for truffles, or yen for a time when you yenned for things other than food.

Example Sentences

The move has sparked concerns over the nation’s fiscal health, leading to further yen depreciation and creating a vicious cycle.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

The continued weakness in the yen is also adding pressure to prices.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Exporters got a boost from the yen, which depreciated 7.8% against the dollar in April, making Japanese goods cheaper and more competitive overseas.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

A stronger yen could bolster confidence domestically, encouraging Japanese households to invest more at home.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Three men suddenly accosted them, asking loudly all at once if they wanted to sell their rations for yen.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata