- published: 18 Nov 2015
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The yuan ( /jʊˈɑːn/ or /ˈjuːən/; sign: ¥; code: CNY; Chinese: 元 yuán [ɥɛ̌n] ( listen)) is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.
A yuán (元) is also known colloquially as a kuài (块 "lump", originally of silver). One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo (角) or colloquially máo (毛 "feather"). One jiǎo is divided into 10 fēn (分).
The symbol for the yuan (元) is also used to refer to the currency units of Japan and Korea, and is used to translate the currency unit dollar as well as some other currencies; for example, the US dollar is called Měiyuán (美元), or American yuan, in Chinese, and the euro is called Oūyuán (欧元), or European yuan. When used in English in the context of the modern foreign exchange market, the Chinese yuan most commonly refers to the renminbi (CNY), which traded for US$0.158987 on January 3, 2012.
Yuan in Chinese literally means a "round object" or "round coin". During the Qing Dynasty, the yuan was a round and silver coin.