měiyuán: 美元 - US Dollar, American Dollar

• Keywords: 美元, meiyuan, US Dollar in Chinese, American Dollar in Chinese, USD to RMB, how to say dollar in Chinese, Chinese currency, 人民币, 美金, what is meiyuan, Chinese financial terms
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 美元 (měiyuán), the official word for the US Dollar. This guide explains its meaning, character breakdown, and cultural significance in China's economy. Understand how to use 美元 in practical, everyday conversations about prices, exchange rates, and international business, and see 10 real-world example sentences. Discover the key difference between 美元 and other currencies like the 人民币 (rénmínbì) to avoid common mistakes.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): měiyuán
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: The currency of the United States of America; the US Dollar (USD).
• In a Nutshell: 美元 (měiyuán) is the standard and most common way to refer to the US Dollar in Mandarin Chinese. It's a compound word that literally means “American yuan” or “American dollar,” clearly distinguishing it from other currencies. You will encounter this term everywhere from bank exchange rate boards and financial news to conversations about international travel and online shopping.

• 美 (měi): While this character's primary meaning is “beautiful,” in this context, it serves as the standard abbreviation for 美国 (Měiguó), which means “America” or the “United States.” The name itself comes from a phonetic transliteration of “America” (亚美利加 - Yà Měi Lì Jiā).
• 元 (yuán): This is the name for the basic unit of Chinese currency, equivalent to “dollar” or “pound.” It's the formal name for the base unit of the Renminbi.

Together, 美 (měi) and 元 (yuán) literally mean “America's currency unit,” creating the unambiguous term “American Dollar.” This logical construction is used for many foreign currencies.

The 美元 (měiyuán) holds immense significance in China, far beyond being just a foreign currency. As the world's primary reserve currency, its value and stability directly impact the Chinese economy.

• Economic Benchmark: The exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Chinese Yuan (`人民币 - rénmínbì`) is one of the most closely watched economic indicators in China. It affects the price of everything from Chinese exports to the cost of imported goods.
• Global Trade: For decades, international trade, especially for commodities like oil, has been priced and settled in 美元. As a global manufacturing and trading powerhouse, China's businesses, banks, and government deal with 美元 on a massive scale daily.
• Clarity in Language vs. English: In English, the word “dollar” can be ambiguous without context (US? Canadian? Australian?). Chinese avoids this ambiguity with a clear prefix system. 美元 (měiyuán) is only for the US dollar. The Canadian dollar is 加元 (jiāyuán), and the Australian dollar is 澳元 (àoyuán). This linguistic precision reflects the practical need to differentiate currencies in a globalized world.

美元 is a standard, neutral term used in both formal and informal contexts.

• Finance and News: This is the official term used in all formal settings: banks, financial news reports, government announcements, and academic papers discussing the economy or the `汇率 (huìlǜ)` (exchange rate).
• International Business: It is essential vocabulary for anyone involved in foreign trade, technology, or any cross-border transaction priced in USD. Contracts and invoices will always use 美元.
• Travel and Shopping: When discussing budgets for traveling to the US, paying for American university tuition, or buying imported American products, 美元 is the correct and common term to use.
• Informal Alternative: In everyday conversation, you will frequently hear the term 美金 (měijīn), which literally means “American gold.” It is a very common and slightly more colloquial synonym for 美元. For example, a shopkeeper discussing the price of an imported item might say “三百美金” (sānbǎi měijīn). While interchangeable in many spoken contexts, 美元 remains the more formal and standard choice.

• Example 1:
  • 今天一美元可以换多少人民币？
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān yī měiyuán kěyǐ huàn duōshǎo rénmínbì?
  • English: How much RMB can one US dollar be exchanged for today?
  • Analysis: A very common question asked at a bank or when checking the daily exchange rate.
• Example 2:
  • 这台笔记本电脑的价格是九百九十九美元。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tái bǐjìběn diànnǎo de jiàgé shì jiǔbǎi jiǔshíjiǔ měiyuán.
  • English: The price of this laptop is 999 US dollars.
  • Analysis: Used for stating the price of an item, especially an imported or high-value one.
• Example 3:
  • 我们的合同规定，所有付款都必须用美元结算。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de hétóng guīdìng, suǒyǒu fùkuǎn dōu bìxū yòng měiyuán jiésuàn.
  • English: Our contract stipulates that all payments must be settled in US dollars.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the formal, legal use of the term in business contexts.
• Example 4:
  • 为了孩子去美国留学，他提前换了很多美元。
  • Pinyin: Wèile háizi qù Měiguó liúxué, tā tíqián huànle hěnduō měiyuán.
  • English: For his child to study abroad in the US, he exchanged a lot of US dollars in advance.
  • Analysis: Shows a common real-life scenario related to education and financial planning.
• Example 5:
  • 最近美元的汇率一直在波动。
  • Pinyin: Zuìjìn měiyuán de huìlǜ yīzhí zài bōdòng.
  • English: Recently, the US dollar exchange rate has been fluctuating continuously.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence you might hear in a news report or financial discussion.
• Example 6:
  • 请问，你们这里接受美元支付吗？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, nǐmen zhèlǐ jiēshòu měiyuán zhīfù ma?
  • English: Excuse me, do you accept US dollars for payment here?
  • Analysis: A practical question a tourist might ask in a shop in China, especially in tourist-heavy areas.
• Example 7:
  • 很多国家把美元作为他们的主要外汇储备。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō guójiā bǎ měiyuán zuòwéi tāmen de zhǔyào wàihuì chǔbèi.
  • English: Many countries hold the US dollar as their main foreign exchange reserve.
  • Analysis: This sentence illustrates the global economic role of the 美元.
• Example 8:
  • 他的月薪是六千美元，在硅谷工作。
  • Pinyin: Tā de yuèxīn shì liùqiān měiyuán, zài Guīgǔ gōngzuò.
  • English: His monthly salary is 6,000 US dollars; he works in Silicon Valley.
  • Analysis: Used to talk about salaries, especially for people working abroad or for multinational companies.
• Example 9:
  • 这家公司的大部分收入来自美元。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī de dàbùfèn shōurù láizì měiyuán.
  • English: The majority of this company's revenue comes from US dollars.
  • Analysis: Another common business context, referring to a company's financial structure.
• Example 10:
  • 把人民币换成美元需要带身份证。
  • Pinyin: Bǎ rénmínbì huàn chéng měiyuán xūyào dài shēnfènzhèng.
  • English: You need to bring your ID card to exchange RMB for US dollars.
  • Analysis: A practical tip for anyone needing to exchange currency in a Chinese bank.

• Mistake 1: Using `元 (yuán)` or `块 (kuài)` alone.
  • A common error for beginners is to hear a price and assume it's in their home currency. In China, `元 (yuán)` (formal) or `块 (kuài)` (colloquial) used alone always refer to Chinese currency (RMB).
  • Incorrect: “这个手机五百。” (Thinking it means 500 USD).
  • Correct Interpretation: This means 500 RMB. To specify USD, you must say: “这个手机五百美元。” (This phone is 500 US dollars).
• Mistake 2: Confusing `美元 (měiyuán)` with `美金 (měijīn)`.
  • These terms are largely interchangeable in speech, but they have different levels of formality. 美元 (měiyuán) is the neutral, standard, and official term suitable for any situation. 美金 (měijīn), literally “American gold,” is a colloquialism rooted in the historic gold standard. It's very common but best avoided in formal writing or official business communication. Think of it as the difference between “US Dollars” and “American bucks.”
• Mistake 3: Assuming “dollar” always translates to `美元`.
  • The character 美 (měi) is essential. If you are talking about a different country's dollar, you must change the prefix.
  • Canadian Dollar: `加元 (jiāyuán)`
  • Australian Dollar: `澳元 (àoyuán)` or `澳币 (àobì)`
  • Hong Kong Dollar: `港元 (gǎngyuán)` or `港币 (gǎngbì)`
  • Singapore Dollar: `新元 (xīnyuán)` or `新币 (xīnbì)`

• 人民币 (rénmínbì) - The official name for the currency of the People's Republic of China (RMB), whose basic unit is the `元`.
• 元 (yuán) - The base unit of Chinese currency. 美元 is the “American” version of the `元`.
• 块 (kuài) - The colloquial, everyday word for `元`, similar to “buck” or “quid.” You would not say “美块”.
• 美金 (měijīn) - A very common and slightly informal synonym for 美元.
• 汇率 (huìlǜ) - Exchange rate; the crucial number that determines how many `人民币` one `美元` is worth.
• 欧元 (ōuyuán) - The Euro. It follows the same “[Region] + 元” naming pattern. (欧 for 欧洲 - Europe).
• 日元 (rìyuán) - The Japanese Yen. (日 for 日本 - Japan).
• 加元 (jiāyuán) - The Canadian Dollar. (加 for 加拿大 - Canada).
• 外汇 (wàihuì) - Foreign exchange; the general term for all foreign currencies, of which 美元 is the most prominent.
• 美国 (Měiguó) - America / USA. The country of origin for the 美元.