Why Yuan and Renminbi?

Chinese money, however, comes by two names: the Yuan (CNY) and the people's renminbi (RMB). The distinction is subtle: while renminbi is the official currency of China where it acts as a medium of exchange, the yuan is the unit of account of the country's economic and financial system.

Why is Renminbi called yuan?

Etymology, writing and pronunciation

In Standard (Mandarin) Chinese, yuán literally means a "round object" or "round coin". During the Qing Dynasty, the yuan was a round coin made of silver. In informal contexts, the word is written with the simplified Chinese character 元, that literally means "beginning".

Does China have 2 currencies?

While the two names are used interchangeably, there is a subtle distinction between them. The Renminbi (the people's currency in Mandarin) is China's official currency, acting as the medium of exchange, while the Yuan is the unit of the currency.