Difference between Yuan and Renminbi
I've always done a crosscheck whenever this distinction comes up, doubting my knowledge. Spoiler, it's by design.
By that I mean, the structure of distinguishing the currency from the unit seems to be the odd one out of a basket of other currencies. See.
| Country | Currency (ISO Code) | Basic Unit | Subunit |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | Renminbi (CNY) | Yuan | Fen (1 Yuan = 100 Fen) |
| United States | Dollar (USD) | Dollar | Cent (1 Dollar = 100 Cents) |
| Nigeria | Naira (NGN) | Naira | Kobo (1 Naira = 100 Kobo) |
| Japan | Yen (JPY) | Yen | None (No smaller unit) |
| Eurozone | Euro (EUR) | Euro | Cent (1 Euro = 100 Cents) |
| United Kingdom | Pound Sterling (GBP) | Pound | Pence (1 Pound = 100 Pence) |
| United Arab Emirates | Dirham (AED) | Dirham | Fils (1 Dirham = 100 Fils) |
| South Korea | Won (KRW) | Won | Jeon (1 Won = 100 Jeon, but rarely used) |
I can't argue with why they made the distinction. I can only hope this clarification is helpful to me again in the future.