Used as a suffix attached to a noun to form a compound meaning 'story of ...' or 'tale of ...', as in 英雄譚 (heroic tale). Also used as a standalone noun in literary contexts.
See also: 英雄譚 (えいゆうたん)
This novel is the adventure tale of an explorer.
He often told tales of his adventures from his youth.
He collected ancient heroic tales and made them into a book.
譚 (たん) means 'tale/story' and appears as a suffix like 英雄譚, while 談 (だん) means 'talk/discussion' as in 相談; the two kanji look similar (both contain 言) but are unrelated in meaning and pronunciation.
Standard kanji spelling for this suffix/noun meaning 'story' or 'tale'.
The kanji 譚 is used for its meaning 'story' or 'tale'. The reading たん is the on'yomi. The exact historical derivation of this suffix usage is uncertain, but it is conventionally associated with literary or narrative contexts.
Jataka tales; stories of Buddha's previous lives