Yen Symbol (¥) — How to Type, Copy & Paste the Japanese Currency Sign
Copy the Yen Symbol
Here is the yen symbol ready for you to copy and paste:
¥ — Copy this symbol: ¥
Unicode: U+00A5 | HTML entity: ¥ | CSS: \00A5
Click or tap the symbol above, copy it, and paste it wherever you need it — documents, social media, emails, financial reports, or websites.
What Is the Yen Symbol?
The yen symbol (¥) is the currency sign used for the Japanese yen (JPY), the official currency of Japan. It is also used for the Chinese yuan (CNY), though China sometimes uses the distinct yuan sign (CN¥ or 元). The symbol is a capital letter "Y" with one or two horizontal strokes through it, derived from the Latin letter Y.
The yen was introduced as the official currency of Japan in 1871 during the Meiji Restoration, when Japan modernized its monetary system. The symbol ¥ was adopted because the word "yen" (円) in Japanese and "yuan" (元) in Chinese both mean "round object" or "circle," referring to the shape of coins. The English transliteration of both currencies begins with "Y," which is the basis for the ¥ symbol.
The yen is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the US dollar and the euro. It is also a major reserve currency held by central banks worldwide. The symbol ¥ is recognized globally and is essential for international finance, trade, and travel.
An interesting note: the yen symbol (¥) and the Chinese yuan symbol are actually the same character (¥) in Unicode. They share the same code point (U+00A5). The distinction between Japanese yen and Chinese yuan is typically made through context, currency codes (JPY vs CNY), or by adding country prefixes (JP¥ or CN¥).
How to Type the Yen Symbol on Windows
There are several methods to type ¥ on Windows:
Alt Code method: Hold down the Alt key and type 0165 on the numeric keypad. Release Alt and ¥ will appear. Make sure Num Lock is enabled. This method works in Microsoft Word, Excel, Notepad, browsers, and email clients.
Alternative Alt Code: On some systems, Alt + 157 also produces ¥.
Character Map: Press the Windows key, type "Character Map," and open the app. Search for "yen" or "yuan" or find it in the Currency Symbols section. Select ¥, click Copy, and paste it where needed.
Microsoft Word shortcut: Type 00A5 and press Alt+X to convert it to ¥. Or go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols and locate it under Currency Symbols.
Japanese keyboard layout: If you have the Japanese IME enabled, the yen symbol is typed using the backslash key (\) when in Japanese input mode, since ¥ replaces \ on Japanese keyboard layouts.
How to Type the Yen Symbol on Mac
On macOS, typing ¥ is straightforward:
Keyboard shortcut: Press Option + Y. This instantly inserts ¥ in most text fields. Works in Pages, TextEdit, Safari, Mail, Notes, and virtually every macOS application.
Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search for "yen" and double-click ¥ to insert it at your cursor position.
Japanese keyboard layout: If you use the Japanese keyboard layout on Mac, the backslash key produces ¥ instead of \.
Unicode Hex Input: With the Unicode Hex keyboard enabled, hold Option and type 00A5 to produce ¥.
How to Type the Yen Symbol on iPhone and iPad
Typing ¥ on iOS is simple:
Keyboard method: Open the keyboard in any app. Tap the "123" key to access numbers, then tap and hold the dollar sign ($) key. A popup will appear showing currency symbols including ¥. Slide your finger to ¥ and release to insert it.
Text Replacement: Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement. Add an entry with ¥ as the phrase and "yyen" as the shortcut. Then typing "yyen" will auto-replace with ¥.
Copy and paste: Copy ¥ from this page and paste it into any app on your iPhone or iPad. This is the quickest method for occasional use.
How to Type the Yen Symbol on Android
On Android devices:
Gboard: Tap the "?123" key, then tap and hold the dollar sign ($) key. A popup will show additional currency symbols including ¥. Slide to ¥ and release.
Copy and paste: Copy ¥ from this page. Long-press in any text field and select Paste. This works universally.
Japanese keyboard: If you have the Japanese keyboard enabled on your Android device, ¥ is readily accessible from the symbols section.
Yen Symbol Unicode Details
Technical specifications for the yen symbol:
Unicode code point: U+00A5
Unicode name: Yen Sign
HTML entity: ¥ or ¥
CSS content: \00A5
JavaScript: \u00A5
UTF-8 encoding: C2 A5
UTF-16 encoding: 00A5
Currency code: JPY (Japanese Yen) / CNY (Chinese Yuan)
The yen sign is in the Latin-1 Supplement Unicode block (U+0080 to U+00FF), alongside other common currency symbols like the dollar sign ($) and cent sign (¢).
Note: There is also a fullwidth yen sign at U+FFE5 (￥), which is used in East Asian typography where characters are typically displayed at full width. For most Western uses, U+00A5 (¥) is the correct choice.
Yen vs Yuan — Understanding the Difference
The yen (¥) and yuan (¥) share the same symbol but represent different currencies:
Japanese Yen (JPY): The official currency of Japan. One yen is divided into 100 sen, though sen are rarely used in practice. Coins are issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 yen. Banknotes come in 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen denominations.
Chinese Yuan (CNY): Also known as the renminbi (RMB, meaning "people's currency"). The yuan is the base unit of the renminbi. One yuan equals 10 jiao or 100 fen. The yuan is issued by the People's Bank of China.
To distinguish between them in writing, use currency codes: ¥1,000 JPY (Japanese yen) vs ¥1,000 CNY (Chinese yuan). In informal contexts, some writers use JP¥ and CN¥ as prefixes.
Common Uses of the Yen Symbol
The yen symbol is used in many contexts:
International finance: The yen is a major global currency. Exchange rates like USD/JPY are among the most traded pairs in the foreign exchange market. ¥ appears constantly in financial news, trading platforms, and bank systems.
Travel and tourism: Japan is one of the most visited countries in the world. Travelers encounter ¥ in hotel prices, restaurant menus, train tickets, and shopping. Understanding the symbol is essential for anyone visiting Japan.
E-commerce: Japanese online stores, including major platforms like Amazon Japan, Rakuten, and Yahoo Shopping Japan, display prices in ¥.
Business and trade: Japan is a major exporter. International invoices, contracts, and pricing for Japanese goods and services use ¥.
Gaming and entertainment: Japanese video games, anime merchandise, and entertainment products are priced in ¥. Many international fans need to convert prices from yen.
Yen Symbol in HTML and Web Development
To display ¥ on a webpage:
Named entity: ¥ — renders as ¥ in all modern browsers.
Numeric entity: ¥ — also renders as ¥ with full compatibility.
In JavaScript, use "\u00A5" to insert ¥ programmatically.
In CSS: use content: "\00A5"; with pseudo-elements.
Important note: On Japanese Windows systems, the backslash (\) is displayed as ¥ in many contexts. When developing international applications, be aware of this locale-specific behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Alt code for the yen symbol?
Alt + 0165 on the numeric keypad. Alt + 157 may also work on some systems.
Are yen and yuan the same symbol?
Yes, they share the same Unicode character (¥, U+00A5). The distinction is made through currency codes (JPY vs CNY) or contextual prefixes (JP¥ vs CN¥).
How do I type ¥ on Mac?
Press Option + Y. It works in virtually every application.
Why does the backslash sometimes show as ¥?
On Japanese locale systems, the yen sign replaces the backslash in many character encodings. This is a historical artifact of how Japanese encoding standards mapped the same code point to ¥ while Western standards mapped it to \.
Can I use the yen symbol in social media?
Yes. Copy ¥ and paste it anywhere — Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and all major platforms support this Unicode character.