The Name Chan in Japanese/Chinese on a Custom-Made Wall Scroll.

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  1. Chan

  2. Shaolin Chan

  3. Chen / Chan / Yo / Jin

  4. Zen / Chan / Meditation


Chan

Cantonese Surname

 chén
 Chan
 you
 
Chan Scroll

This is the most common Cantonese surname that is often romanized as Chan.

The actual meaning of this character is to lay out, to exhibit, to display, to narrate, to state, to explain, or to tell.

This also can refer to the ancient state of Chan/Chen 1045-479 BC, or the Chen dynasty of China 557-589 BC.

Chan

Hokkien Surname

 zēng
 son
 
Chan Scroll

This is a Hokkien surname that is often romanized as Chan.

The meaning is great- (as in great-grandfather, grandmother, grandchild, etc.).

In some context, can mean already. In Japanese, this can be a surname that romanizes as Son.

Chan

Taiwanese Surname

 zhān
 
Chan Scroll

This is a surname that romanizes as Chan from the Taiwanese (Wade-Giles) method or romanizing Mandarin Chinese.

The actual meaning is excellent or verbose.

 chan
Chan Scroll

チャン is the name Chan in Japanese Katakana.

This should only be used if your English name is Chan. This is different than any variant of the Chinese surname Chan.


Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

Shaolin Chan

 shǎo lín chán
 sho rin zen
Shaolin Chan Scroll

少林禪 translates as “Little Forest Meditation.”

少林禪 is part of a movement to provide spiritual and mental health by integrating the practices of martial arts and meditation.

More information at Shaolin Chan Foundation.

Chen / Chan / Yo / Jin

Surname

 chén
 chan
 chin
 
Chen / Chan / Yo / Jin Scroll

This is the most common character for a Chinese surname that romanizes as “Chen.”

This is also a surname You or Yo in Japanese, though it can also be pronounced as Chin in Japanese.

In Korean, it is a surname romanized as Jin.

As a word, this character means: to lay out; to exhibit; to display; to narrate; to state; to explain; to tell.

The Chen clan or family was a small kingdom from 1046 BC to 479 BC. It was one of 12 small-but-powerful vassal states during the Spring and Autumn Period 770-475 BC. This name reappeared as the Chen Dynasty (陳朝) of the Southern dynasties from 557 AD to 589 AD.

Zen / Chan / Meditation

...as in Zen Buddhism

 chán
 zen
 
Zen / Chan / Meditation Scroll

First, let's correct something: The Japanese romanization for this character, “Zen” has penetrated the English language. In English, it's almost always incorrectly used for phrases like “That's so zen.” Nobody says, “That's so meditation” - right? As the title of a sect, this would be like saying, “That's so Baptist!"

禪 by itself just means “meditation.” In that context, it should not be confined to use by any one religion or sect.

Regardless of the dictionary definition, more often than not, this character is associated with Buddhism. And here is one of the main reasons:
Zen is used as the title of a branch of Mahayana Buddhism, which strongly emphasizes meditation practice.
However, it should be noted that Buddhism came from India, and “Chan Buddhism” evolved and developed in medieval China. The Chinese character “Chan” was eventually pronounced as “Zen” in Japanese. Chan Buddhists in China have much in common with Zen Buddhists in Japan.

More about the history of Zen Buddhism here.

Please also note that the Japanese Kanji character for Zen has evolved a little in Japan, and the two boxes (kou) that you see at the top of the right side of the character have been replaced by three dots with tails. Japanese Zen Kanji The original character would still be generally understood and recognized in Japanese (it's considered an ancient version in Japan) but if you want the specifically modern Japanese version, please click on the zen Kanji to the right. Technically, there is no difference between the Tensho and Reisho versions of Zen since they are ancient character styles that existed long before Japan had a written language.

Chinese Zen/Chan CharacterThere is also an alternate/shorthand/simplified Chinese version, which has two dots or tails above the right-side radical. This version is also popular for calligraphy in China. If you want this version, just click the character to the right.


Further notes: Zen is just one of seven sects of Buddhism practiced in Japan. The others are 律 Ritsu (or Risshū), 法相 Hossō, 論 Sanron 華嚴 Kegon, 天台 Tendai, and 眞言 Shingon.




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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Chan
you / yochén / chen2 / chench`en / chen
Chansonzēng / zeng1 / zengtseng
Chanzhān / zhan1 / zhanchan
Chanチャンchan
Shaolin Chan少林禪
少林禅
sho rin zen
shorinzen
shǎo lín chán
shao3 lin2 chan2
shao lin chan
shaolinchan
shao lin ch`an
shaolinchan
shao lin chan
Chen
Chan
Yo
Jin

chinchén / chen2 / chench`en / chen
Zen
Chan
Meditation

zenchán / chan2 / chanch`an / chan
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line.
In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese.


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Zen / Chan / Meditation Scroll
Zen / Chan / Meditation Scroll
Zen / Chan / Meditation Scroll
Zen / Chan / Meditation Scroll


And formats...

Zen / Chan / Meditation Vertical Portrait
Zen / Chan / Meditation Horizontal Wall Scroll
Zen / Chan / Meditation Vertical Portrait
Dictionary

Lookup Chan in my Japanese & Chinese Dictionary

Some people may refer to this entry as Chan Kanji, Chan Characters, Chan in Mandarin Chinese, Chan Characters, Chan in Chinese Writing, Chan in Japanese Writing, Chan in Asian Writing, Chan Ideograms, Chinese Chan symbols, Chan Hieroglyphics, Chan Glyphs, Chan in Chinese Letters, Chan Hanzi, Chan in Japanese Kanji, Chan Pictograms, Chan in the Chinese Written-Language, or Chan in the Japanese Written-Language.