What is the difference between "円" and "えん"?

"円" means "Yen (Japanese currency), circle" (N5), whereas "えん" represents "yen (Japanese currency)" (N5).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "えん (en)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

えん (en)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

えん (en)

N5 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "えん (en)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

円 (Level: N5): Translates to "Yen (Japanese currency), circle" and is used when Primarily refers to the Japanese currency. In N5, it's almost always used in relation to money. It can also mean 'circle' or 'round' in geometric contexts..
えん (Level: N5): Maps to "yen (Japanese currency)" and carries the nuance of The official currency of Japan. Used as a counter for money..

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "円"

このリンゴは150円です。

This apple is 150 yen.

Bilingual Context for "えん"

これは1000円です。

This is 1000 yen.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "このリンゴは150 ＿＿＿です。" (Meaning: "This apple is 150 yen.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "円" is used for "Yen (Japanese currency), circle" in the context: "This apple is 150 yen.".