Kanji 円 - yen, round
Kanji 円 means yen, round, circle. Onyomi readings are エン (en) . Kunyomi readings are まる (maru).
Stroke order animation (4 strokes)
Stroke Order Diagram
Each box shows the kanji up to that stroke. Red dot indicates stroke start point.
Readings of 円
音On'yomi (音読み)
訓Kun'yomi (訓読み)
円 in different fonts
Vocabulary with 円
| Audio | English  | Romaji | Japanese | Kana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yen | en | 円 | えん | |
| thousand yen bill | senensatsu | 千円札 | せんえんさつ |
More Information about 円
Common words with 円 (en)
- 円 (en)（えん）: yen (currency)
- 円高／円安 (endaka／en'yasu)（えんだか／えんやす）: strong/weak yen (exchange rate)
- 円形 (enkei)（えんけい）: circular shape
- 円周 (enshū)（えんしゅう）: circumference
- 円周率 (enshū ritsu)（えんしゅうりつ）: pi (≈ 3.14159)
- 円満 (enman)（えんまん）: harmonious; amicable
- 円滑 (enkatsu)（えんかつ）: smooth; without trouble
Why is it sometimes written YEN in English?
Long ago, Japanese え (e) was often pronounced like ye. So えん (en) was heard as yen by foreigners. The English name yen stayed, but in Japanese it’s えん (en)（円）. The symbol is ¥ and the kanji on price tags is 円 (en).
Cultural/old form: what is 圓 (en)?
圓 (en) is the traditional form of 円 (en). You’ll see it on old banknotes, historical signs, or stylized logos. On modern receipts/contracts, numbers may use 大字 (daiji) to prevent tampering, but the currency unit is usually just 円 (en) (or the symbol ¥).
Is 円い (marui) the same as 丸い (marui)?
Both mean round, but there’s a nuance:
- 円い (marui)（まるい）: more geometric—circular/curved (often written 丸い (marui) in everyday texts).
- 丸い (marui)（まるい）: general “round” (shape, character, tone). In practice, 丸い (marui) is more common in daily writing.
