日元
rìyuán
The Japanese yen is called 日元 (rìyuán) in Chinese. Wiktionary also lists 日圓 / 日圆 (rìyuán) and 老日 (lǎorì).
Meaning: unit of Japanese currency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 日元 | rìyuán | |
| 日圓 / 日圆 | rìyuán | |
| 老日 | lǎorì | slang |
The term is used to refer specifically to the unit of Japanese currency.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 日元 literally means 'Japan yuan' or 'Japanese yuan'.
Which one should you use?
While 日元 is the standard term for the Japanese yen, it is important to note that the character 元 (yuán) is also used as the general unit for many other currencies, such as the Chinese yuan.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
日元 is the formal term for the yen. In contrast, 老日 is a slangy and highly informal way to refer to the currency.
How do you pronounce it?
rìyuán
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese writing, 日圓 uses a character that means 'circle', reflecting the physical shape of ancient coins with holes in the center.
- In some written documents, the character 圓 is used for 'yuan' to prevent fraud, as it is more complex and harder to alter than the simplified version 元.
- The character 日 in 日元 is a pictograph of the sun. This mirrors how Japanese people refer to their own country as the 'Land of the Rising Sun'.
Examples in context
- 一万日元够吗？Will ten thousand yen do?This sentence shows how to ask if an amount of 日元 is sufficient.Tatoeba #7781712 by jiangche, translation #73027 by CK
- 每张票要20日元。The tickets cost 20 yen apiece.This sentence uses 日元 to state the price of tickets.Tatoeba #13878984 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #3626669 by Lindoula
- 我只有5000日元。I have only five thousand yen.This sentence uses 日元 to express how much money one possesses.Tatoeba #528021 by biglion, translation #252597 by CK
- 中国与日本之间的贸易往来一直以日元计算。Trade between China and Japan has always been calculated in yen.
- 我刚从日本回来，用的是日币。I just came back from Japan and used yen.
- 49 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
佳怡 and 俊杰 are discussing the cost of a Japanese souvenir.
- 佳怡 Jiayi这个纪念品多少日元？Zhè ge jìniànpǐn duōshǎo rìyuán?How many yen is this souvenir?
- 俊杰 Junjie大约一千日元。Dàyuē yīqiān rìyuán.About one thousand yen.
- 佳怡 Jiayi不算太贵吧。Bù suàn tài guì ba.It's not too expensive.
- 俊杰 Junjie对，价格很合理。Duì, jiàgé hěn hélǐ.Correct, the price is quite reasonable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yen” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
