Yuan - Definition and Overview

Yuan (TC:元 or 圓; SC:元 Pinyin yuán WG yüan) is, in Chinese language, the base unit of currency, for example, US dollar is Mei yuan (美元). However, in international context, they may refer one of the four Chinese currencies:

• Renminbi (RMB¥, CN$)
• New Taiwan dollar
• Hong Kong dollar
• Macau pataca

Other meanings

• Yuan Dynasty, Mongol ruling period of China
• Yuan, one of several Chinese family names; 袁, 元, 苑, 原, 源, 爰 in Mandarin; 阮, 垣, 玄 in Cantonese.
• Thai Yuan, a people of Northern Thailand
• Yuàn (院), a branch of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China (now on Taiwan):

• Yuan River (沅江 or 沅水), one of the four largest rivers in Hunan, a tributary of Yangtze River.
• Northern Thai language, also known as Yuan.