yuán HSK 3

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

这本书十元。
Zhè běn shū shí yuán.
This book is ten yuan.
我有一百元。
Wǒ yǒu yībǎi yuán.
I have one hundred yuan.
这个苹果三元。
Zhège píngguǒ sān yuán.
This apple is three yuan.
这个苹果三元。
Zhège píngguǒ sān yuán.
This apple is three yuan.
我有十元。
Wǒ yǒu shí yuán.
I have ten yuan.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 元 as the 'primary' (a related meaning of the character) unit of money. The character looks a bit like a person (儿) under a roof (二), which you need money for.

📝 Usage Notes

It is used in both formal and informal contexts, in spoken and written language, primarily when stating prices or monetary amounts. It is the most common and neutral term for currency units in mainland China.

📖 Grammar Points

Used in the structure: Number + 元 (e.g., 五十元). For amounts with smaller units, use: Number + 元 + Number + 角/分 (e.g., 三元五角). It follows the basic Chinese word order for stating quantities.

🏯 Cultural Notes

As the primary unit of China's currency, it is deeply embedded in daily economic life. The symbol ¥ represents the yuan. While 元 is standard, in casual spoken Mandarin, 块 is more frequent.

🔄 Similar Words

块 (kuài) is a more informal, colloquial synonym used identically in speech (e.g., 三百块). 角 (jiǎo) and 分 (fēn) are smaller currency units (like dime and cent), where 1元 = 10角 = 100分.

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