Yen
from Japanese en ‘round’.
wiktionary
From Medhurst [1] and Hepburn’s [2] romanizations, under the influence of earlier Portuguese romanizations, of Japanese 圓(“ round; a round object”) as ye or yen, now 円(en), from Chinese 銀圓(yínyuán, “round silver object(s), especially a piece of eight”): 銀(“silver”) + 圓(“ circular, round; yuan, yen, dollar”). [3] Cognate with Chinese 元(yuán, “ monetary unit, especially RMB”) and Korean 원(won, “ North or South Korean won”). Doublet of won and yuan.
Origin uncertain, but probably from Cantonese 癮( jan5, “ craving”) originally in reference to opium addiction, 煙癮 or 菸癮( jin1- jan5): 煙, 菸( jin1, “ smoke, specifically opium”). Compare the later yen (“opium”) and yen-yen. [4]
From Chinese 煙, 菸(yān), or Cantonese 煙, 菸( jin1, “ smoke, specifically opium”). Compare the earlier yen (“strong desire”) and later yen-yen. [5]
etymonline
yen (n.1)
Japanese monetary unit, 1875, from Japanese yen, from Chinese yuan "round, round object, circle, dollar."
yen (n.2)
"sharp desire, hunger," 1906, earlier yen-yen (1900), yin (1876) "intense craving for opium," from Chinese (Cantonese) yan "craving," or from a Beijing dialect word for "smoke." Reinforced in English by influence of yearn.
