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yen (YEN) - n., a strong desire or craving. v., to have a craving for.
Also, the monetary unit of Japan, but that's a separate word. What kind of craving? Well, originally drug addiction, specifically opium, cravings for are called yīn-yáhn in Cantonese, from yīn, opium + yáhn, craving, which in English was transliterated as yen-yen. The Mandarin cognate, FWIW, of yáhn is yǐn craving/addiction. (The source for the ¥ is Chinese yuán, round, as in a round coin, cognate of the Chinese yuan and Korean won monetary units.)
---L.
Also, the monetary unit of Japan, but that's a separate word. What kind of craving? Well, originally drug addiction, specifically opium, cravings for are called yīn-yáhn in Cantonese, from yīn, opium + yáhn, craving, which in English was transliterated as yen-yen. The Mandarin cognate, FWIW, of yáhn is yǐn craving/addiction. (The source for the ¥ is Chinese yuán, round, as in a round coin, cognate of the Chinese yuan and Korean won monetary units.)
---L.
