Tan - Definition and Overview

Tan can mean several things:

• tan is shorthand in mathematics for the tangent trigonometric function.
• Tanning is the process of making leather from hides.
• Tan is ground oak bark used in tanning leather.
• Sun tanning is the browning of light-colored skin by exposure of the bare skin to sunshine.
• Tan is a Chinese family name 譚,谭,覃,談,郯,檀 (in Mandarin) or 陳 (in Taisan). Tan can also be spelled as Tam (in Cantonese) or Hom (in Taisan). See also Amy Tan, Alan Tam, Tam Kung, Patrick Tam, Roman Tam et al.
• Tan is a character in the Fusion comic book.
• The acronym TAN standing for transaction number in electronic banking.
• The color tan.
• Tan, or Dān (聃), is the posthumous name of Lao Zi (Lao Tzu).