Question 1

What does 元 mean in Chinese?

Accepted Answer

元 (yuán) is the formal name of the Chinese monetary unit, equivalent to one 'dollar' of 人民币 (RMB, the People's Currency). It is the standard term in writing, on price tags, in banking, and in news reports: 一百元 (100 yuan). In spoken conversation, however, native speakers almost always say 块 (kuài) instead — 一百块 sounds natural where 一百元 sounds like reading from a receipt. The relationship: 1 元 = 10 角 (jiǎo, spoken as 毛 máo) = 100 分 (fēn).

元 also has older general meanings ('first; origin'; cf. 元旦 'New Year's Day,' literally 'first dawn') and appears in proper nouns like 元朝 (the Yuan Dynasty). In modern daily life, though, the currency meaning dominates. Counter-friendly rule: 元 appears after the number, just like dollars in English:

Question 2

How do you pronounce 元?

Accepted Answer

元 is pronounced yuán — 元 (yuán).

Question 3

Is 元 a noun, verb, or something else?

Accepted Answer

元 is a measure word, register: written. 元 is the formal/written name for the basic unit of Chinese currency (人民币). In everyday speech, almost everyone says 块 (kuài) instead. You will see 元 on price tags, receipts, bank apps, and contracts; you will hear 块 at markets, restaurants, and taxis.

Question 4

What's the difference between 元 and 员?

Accepted Answer

员 means 'member; staff' (服务员 'waiter,' 学员 'student/trainee'). Same pinyin, different character. Don't write 服务元.

Question 5

What's the difference between 元 and 园?

Accepted Answer

园 means 'garden / park' (公园 'park,' 花园 'garden'). Same pinyin, different character.

元

What does 元 mean?

Character breakdown

Example sentences

Common phrases with 元

Synonyms

Don't confuse 元 with

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