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Lesson 15

Reading Yen Prices

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Introduction

Hello and welcome back. In our last few lessons, we've covered the essential skills for handling prices in Japan: you learned how to say numbers up to 100,000 and how to ask "How much is it?" using kore wa ikura desu ka?.

Today, we'll focus on the final piece of the puzzle: reading the price tag itself. This is a short but crucial lesson. Our goal is to ensure you can confidently read prices written with standard Arabic numerals followed by the Japanese yen symbol, 円. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to look at any menu or price tag and know exactly what it says.

The Two Symbols for Yen: ¥ vs. 円

When dealing with Japanese currency, you will see two different symbols: ¥ and 円. While they both mean "yen," they are used in different contexts.

  • ¥: This is the international currency symbol, similar to $ for dollars or € for euros. You'll see it in currency exchange offices, financial contexts, and sometimes on keyboards.
  • 円: This is the Japanese kanji (character) for yen. This is the symbol you will see everywhere inside Japan—on price tags, menus, and vending machines.

Since your goal is practical navigation in Japan, we will focus on recognizing 円.

To understand the distinction and the origin of the 円 symbol, please read the following brief article. It provides a clear explanation that will be very helpful.

Explaining the Two Different Symbols for Japanese Yen (¥ vs. 円)

The article 'Explaining the Two Different Symbols for Japanese Yen' by Tokyo Alleyways clearly distinguishes between the international (¥) and domestic (円) symbols.

Please read the sections titled 'What is the 円 symbol for yen?' and 'How to use the two different symbols for yen'. The second section offers a great analogy, comparing ¥ to a dollar sign and 円 to writing out the word 'dollars'.

As the article notes, the kanji 円 literally means "round," a reference to the shape of coins. Most importantly, its pronunciation is en (えん). So when you see a price like 100円, you read it as hyaku en.

Let's quickly reinforce this with one more resource.

Japanese Money — Everything there is to know about Yen

The following article 'Japanese Money — Everything there is to know about Yen' from 90 Day Japanese confirms the pronunciation and usage of 円.

Please read the section titled '“Currency” in Japan.' It explains why the currency is called 'en' in Japanese despite often being written as 'yen' in English and confirms that 円 is the symbol used within Japan.

Reading Prices in the Wild

Now let's apply this knowledge to real-world examples. In Japan, you will almost always see prices written with familiar Arabic numerals followed by the 円 symbol.

[Number]円 = [Number] en

For example:

  • A can of coffee might be 130円 (hyaku san-juu en).
  • A bowl of ramen could be 980円 (kyuu-hyaku hachi-juu en).
  • A souvenir might cost 2,500円 (ni-sen go-hyaku en).

Look at the image below. This is a very typical ticket vending machine you might find at a ramen restaurant. Notice how all the prices are displayed.

Japanese Vending Machine Menu with Prices
A menu from a Japanese food ticket vending machine. Each item has a picture, a name, and a price clearly written with Arabic numerals and the 円 symbol.

You can see prices like 980円 for ramen and 140円 for an egg. You already know how to say these numbers; now you can confidently connect them to the written price.

Here is another common sight: a restaurant window display with plastic food models (shokuhin sampuru).

Japanese Restaurant Menu with Plastic Food Models and Prices
A Japanese restaurant window with plastic food models and a menu board. Prices like 390円 and 500円 are clearly displayed next to the items.

Again, the pattern is the same: the number followed by 円. This makes it very easy to check prices before you even enter a restaurant.

Quick Practice

Let's test your understanding using the images above.

  1. Look at the vending machine menu (Japanese vending machine menu). What is the price for "Extra Sliced Pork (4 pieces)"?
  2. Now look at the restaurant window display (Japanese restaurant display with food models). What is the price of the meal set shown in the top right of the menu board (セットメニュー) for 500円?
Click to see the answers
  1. The price is 260円 (ni-hyaku roku-juu en).
  2. The 500円 set is the 朝食そばセット (choushoku soba setto), or "Breakfast Soba Set." The key part for you is recognizing the price itself.

Conclusion

Excellent work. This was a short but essential lesson that connects your knowledge of numbers with the practical skill of reading price tags.

Key Takeaways:

  • The symbol for yen that you will see on price tags and menus in Japan is the kanji 円.
  • This symbol is pronounced en.
  • Prices are written in a simple, easy-to-read format: [Arabic Numerals]円. For example, 1,200円.

Preview of the next lesson:
You now have all the core skills for making a purchase: asking the price and reading the price tag. In our next lesson, we'll learn the last piece of this module: how to state the number of people in your party (e.g., "one person," "two people"). This is the first phrase you'll need when entering a restaurant and is the perfect bridge to our next module on dining out.