# yuan

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌjuːˈæn/ · frequency rank #11,329

## Definitions
1. The basic unit of money in China.

## Etymology
From Mandarin 元 (yuán), from 圓／圆 (yuán, “circle > round coin”) referring to the piece of eight. Compare Japanese 円(えん) (en), Korean 원(圓) (won). Doublet of yen and won.

## Easily confused with
- **yup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yup)
- **yum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yum)
- **Yun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yun)
- **yue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yue)
- **Yui** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yui)
- **yuk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yuk)
- **yuh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yuh)
- **Yuri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yuri)
- **yuck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yuck)
- **Yuki** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yuki)
- **Yuen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yuen)
- **Yule** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yule)
- **Yuna** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yuna)
- **yumi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yumi)
- **Yukon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yukon)
- **Yunnan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yuan-vs-yunnan)
- **ya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ya-vs-yuan)
- **yu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yu-vs-yuan)
- **yea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yuan)
- **yay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yay-vs-yuan)

## Common misspellings (4)
`uyan`, `yaun`, `yuann`, `yyuan`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/yuan