the basic unit of money in South Korea
"She saved up a few won to buy her favorite snack from the street vendor."
the basic unit of money in North Korea
"The price of a loaf of bread has risen from fifty won to eighty won since inflation hit Pyongyang last month."
The currency of Korea, worth 100 jun in North Korea and 100 jeon in South Korea.
"After visiting both sides of the border, I realized that my wallet contained a mix of won from North Korea and won from South Korea despite them sharing the same name."
In plain English: A won is something you have successfully taken possession of after winning it.
"He was so happy that he had finally won the lottery."
Usage: The won is the standard monetary unit used in both North and South Korea, where it subdivides into 100 juns or jeons respectively. Use this term when referring to currency amounts rather than its past tense verb form "won.
simple past tense and past participle of win
"After years of battling a chronic illness, she is finally glad to say that she has won and can look forward to her future."
To live, remain.
In plain English: To win means to be the person who succeeds in a game, competition, or argument against others.
"She won the game by scoring the last point."
Won comes from the Old English word winnan, which originally meant to strive or struggle. It entered modern English as the past participle of the verb "win.