circle · yen

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 円 expresses a circle or the yen and has the on-reading えん.
• Basic usage: 百円 means one hundred yen, while 円形(えんけい) means a circular shape.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Currency unit and circular shape
  • In 円を描いて, 円 is a circle being drawn, while 円 after a price is a currency unit. Both are read えん, so context distinguishes them.
• Smooth progress
  • 円滑(えんかつ) describes smooth progress rather than a shape. 議論が円滑に進んだ means the discussion proceeded smoothly.