Yen & Yuan Currency Symbols (¥)
The Latin letter Y with horizontal crossbars represents two of East Asia's premier economic powers: the Japanese Yen (JPY) and the Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY).
Yen & Yuan Typographic Characters Comparison
East Asian currency typography utilizes distinct characters depending on whether the text is formatted in international Latin script, fullwidth CJK typography, or native domestic ideographs.
| Glyph | Unicode Point | Character Name & Block | Typographical Role & Practical Usage | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¥ | U+00A5 | YEN SIGN (Latin-1 Supplement) | Standard halfwidth symbol used internationally for both Japanese Yen (JPY) and Chinese Yuan (CNY) in Western Latin-script documents. | |
| ￥ | U+FFE5 | FULLWIDTH YEN SIGN (Halfwidth/Fullwidth Forms) | Fullwidth East Asian character occupying a full square em-box, aligning uniformly with Chinese and Japanese ideographs in CJK typography. | |
| 円 | U+5186 | CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5186 (Japanese Shinjitai) | Standard native Japanese kanji character used in domestic stores, price tags, and bank statements in Japan (e.g. 1,000円). | |
| 元 | U+5143 | CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5143 (Simplified Chinese) | Standard native Chinese character used in everyday pricing, retail receipts, and digital apps in mainland China (e.g. 100元). | |
| 圓 | U+5713 | CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5713 (Traditional Chinese) | Traditional formal character used on formal banknotes in mainland China, Hong Kong Dollar notes (港圓), New Taiwan Dollar (圓), and historical Japanese Kyūjitai notes. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions and direct answers regarding currency symbols, typing shortcuts, and international formatting.
Why do Japanese Yen and Chinese Yuan share the Latin symbol (¥)?
Both currencies share historical linguistic roots meaning 'round object' or 'circle' (Yen in Japanese, Yuan in Chinese). In Latin script typography, both were assigned the capital letter Y with one or two crossbars (¥, U+00A5).
What is the difference between ¥ (U+00A5) and ￥ (U+FFE5)?
¥ (U+00A5) is the standard halfwidth Latin-1 character used internationally in Western typography. ￥ (U+FFE5) is the fullwidth East Asian character designed to occupy a full square typographical em-space, aligning visually with Chinese characters (hanzi) and Japanese kanji.
How are Yen and Yuan written in their native languages?
In Japan, domestic prices use the kanji 円 (U+5186), as in 1,000円. In mainland China, everyday prices use the simplified character 元 (U+5143), as in 100元, while formal banknotes use the traditional anti-forgery character 圓 (U+5713).
How to type the Yen/Yuan sign (¥) on Mac and Windows?
On Mac, press Option + Y on any standard keyboard. On Windows, hold Alt and type 0165 on the numeric keypad (Alt + 0165). In Microsoft Word, type 00A5 then press Alt + X.