円えん

え

ん

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 200

Meanings

1

yen; Japanese currency unit

The basic unit of Japanese currency. Also used in compounds like 円高 (strong yen) and 円安 (weak yen).

このりんごは１個こ１００円えんです。
These apples are 100 yen each.
日本にほんでは円えんが使つかわれています。
The yen is used in Japan.

2

Refers to a geometric circle or a circular shape. Also used in compounds like 円周 (circumference) and 円形 (circular shape).

コンパスで円えんを描えがく。
Draw a circle with a compass.
子こ供どもたちが円えんになって座すわった。
The children sat in a circle.

See all 1,427 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈数かず〉円えんするto cost ... yen
このケーキは五ご百ひゃく円えんする。
This cake costs 500 yen.
円えんになるto form a circle (of people or objects)
生せい徒とたちは円えんになって座すわった。
The students sat in a circle.
円えんをドルに換かえるto change/convert yen into dollars
旅りょ行こうの前まえに円えんをドルに換かえた。
I converted yen to dollars before the trip.
円えんで払はらうto pay in yen
海かい外がいでも円えんで払はらえるお店みせが増ふえてきた。
More shops abroad now accept payment in yen.

Expressions

円えんを成なすform a circle
円えんを描えがくmove in a circle; form a circle; make a circular motion · draw a circle
円えん滑かつにするsmooth; harmonize; facilitate; streamline
挨あい拶さつより円えん札さつmoney speaks louder than words; yen bills over salutations

Kanji

円circle, yen, round
圓yen, circle, round

Related words

丸まるN3sense 2
丸 is the native Japanese word for a round shape and is common in everyday speech and names, while 円 is the Sino-Japanese term used in geometry, math, and formal contexts.
輪わN3
円 refers to a circle as a flat geometric shape, while 輪 emphasizes a ring-like or looped physical form.
サークルN3
円 is the standard native word for a geometric circle, while サークル is used mainly in graphic, design, or loanword-style contexts for the same shape.
フラン
フラン is a historical French/European currency unit, whereas 円 is the modern Japanese currency unit.

Don't confuse with

園えんN2
円 (えん) means 'yen' or 'circle', while 園 (えん) means 'garden/park' or, informally, 'kindergarten' — they sound identical but are written and mean completely differently.
楕だ円えんN2
円 is a perfect circle with equal axes, whereas 楕円 has two unequal axes, so learners sometimes use 円 loosely to mean any round shape.

Word family· 134

円えん盤ばんN1
disk; disc; platter · flying saucer; UFO · optical disc; disc media
円えん形けい
round shape; circle; circular form
円えん滑かつN1
smooth; harmonious; uninterrupted
日本にほん円えん
Japanese yen; JPY
楕だ円えんN2
ellipse; oval

Show 25 more

円えん満まんN1
harmonious; peaceful; amicable
円えん周しゅうN2
circumference
円えん卓たく
round table
円えん筒とう
cylinder
円えん光こう
halo; nimbus · compensated dating; paid dating (with a minor)
円えん柱ちゅう
cylinder; column; shaft · round pillar (architecture)
半はん円えん
semicircle; half circle
円えん陣じん
circle; huddle · circular battle formation
大だい団だん円えん
denouement; grand finale; conclusion
円えん弧こ
arc
円えん熟じゅく
maturity; ripeness; mellowness
前ぜん方ぽう後こう円えん墳ふん
keyhole-shaped ancient Japanese tumulus
円えん建だて
yen basis; in yen terms · yen-denominated; yen-based
円えんグラフ
pie chart; pie graph
同どう心しん円えん
concentric circles
円えん舞ぶ曲きょく
waltz (composition)
円えん座ざ
round straw mat; round cushion · sitting in a circle
大だい円えん
large circle · great circle
一いち円えんN5
one yen · throughout; the whole area
円えん安やすN3
weak yen; depreciation of the yen
円えん高だかN3
strong yen; appreciation of the yen
一いち万まん円えんN5
10,000 yen
１００ひゃく円えんN5
100 yen
１０００せん円えんN5
1000 yen
円えん丘きゅう
knoll; hummock

See all 134 in Explore →

Written forms

円えんUsage100%
Standard modern kanji for both 'yen' and 'circle'.
圓えんUsage0%
out-dated kanji form
Old-form kanji (kyūjitai); not used in modern Japanese.

Etymology

From Chinese 圓 (yuán), meaning 'round' or 'circle'. The currency sense comes from the round shape of coins. The modern Japanese simplified form is 円.