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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

There 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.

坐禪 describes the act of sitting in a state of deep meditation.

You'll notice that the second character is Chan/Zen (often used to title the meditative form of Buddhism).

In Korean Hanja, this means “religious meditation” (roughly the same as the Chinese definition).

Buddhists may define this as sitting in dhyāna, abstract meditation, fixed abstraction, or contemplation.

Japanese note: This will make sense in Japanese but the Kanji shown to the left are partially in ancient/traditional Japanese form. Japanese Buddhists may use 坐禪, 坐禅, 座禪, or 座禅. The most standard/modern Japanese form of this word is shown to the right. Click on the Kanji to the right (instead of the button above) if you want this specifically Japanese version.