譚
talk
Readings
On'yomi
- タン
Kun'yomi
- はなし
Meaning
譚 centers on spoken communication: a talk, story, or narrative conveyed through words.
Most common words using 譚
- 譚たん
story; tale
- ディオニュソス譚ディオニュソスたん
Dionysiaca (4-5th century CE poem by Nonnus)
- 前日譚ぜんじつたん
prequel
- 古譚こたん
old tale
- 変身譚へんしんたん
story featuring metamorphosis
- 奇譚きたん
mysterious story
- 後日譚ごじつたん
sequel; later development
- 本生譚ほんじょうたん
ancient Indian collection of tales on the early lives of Buddha (ca. 4th century BCE); Jataka
- 民譚みんだん
folk tale; folklore
- 民譚集みんだんしゅう
collection of folk stories
- 異聞奇譚いぶんきたん
strange stories and curious tales
- 経験譚けいけんたん
story recounting one's personal experience
- 綺譚きたん
beautiful story
- 英雄譚えいゆうたん
epic; heroic tale
- 譚歌たんか
ballad
- 譚詩たんし
ballade
- 譚詩曲たんしきょく
ballade
Study
Etymology
譚 combines 言 (speech) with 覃, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest deep or extended talk. The exact historical development of 覃 in this character is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is 言 (words), and the right side 覃 looks like a deep container. Picture words pouring out of a deep vessel as a long, engaging talk.
Reading mnemonic
For タン, imagine a talkative person named Tan who always has a story to tell: Tan -> タン, and their words flow like a deep narrative.