Tan

Tan, Amy, 1952-, American novelist, b. Oakland, Calif. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, she has taken for her theme the lives of Asian-Americans and the generational and cultural differences among them, concentrating on women's experiences. Tan's novels include The Joy Luck Club (1989), The Kitchen God's Wife (1991), The Hundred Secret Senses (1995), The Bonesetter's Daughter (2001), and Saving Fish from Drowning (2005). She has also written a children's book, The Moon Lady (1992), and essays, e.g., the autobiographical pieces collected in The Opposite of Fate (2003).

orig. Gaetano Appolino Baldassare

(born April 18, 1729, Florence, Italy—died Sept. 23, 1808, Paris, Fr.) French ballet dancer and teacher. His style was flamboyant while respecting traditional courtly technique. Vestris later became renowned as the most distinguished teacher of his day. His most celebrated pupil was his son Auguste Vestris.

Learn more about Vestris, Gaétan with a free trial on Britannica.com.

orig. Gaetano Appolino Baldassare

(born April 18, 1729, Florence, Italy—died Sept. 23, 1808, Paris, Fr.) French ballet dancer and teacher. His style was flamboyant while respecting traditional courtly technique. Vestris later became renowned as the most distinguished teacher of his day. His most celebrated pupil was his son Auguste Vestris.

Learn more about Vestris, Gaétan with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Tan can mean several things:

• Tan (color), the color
• Tangent, a mathematical trigonometric function tan(x)
• Tanning, the process of making leather from hides
• Sun tanning, the darkening of skin in response to ultraviolet light
• Sunless tanning, the darkening of skin without ultraviolet light
• Tan (or Tanfana, Tamfana), ancient European goddess
• Tan (surname) (譚), a Chinese surname - see for examples
• Tan, or Dān (聃), is the posthumous name of Lao Zi (Lao Tzu)
• TAN Books & Publishers, a Catholic publishing company
• OS-tan, an Internet phenomenon on Futaba Channel
• Tahn, a yoghurt-based drink from the Middle East
• Tan (state), ancient Chinese kingdom situated in eastern Shandong Province.
• Tan, Irish slang for an English person, deriving from The Black and 'Tans'
• O-Qua Tangin Wann, Biaviian co-author of the book "The Coming of Tan" (Historicity Productions)

"TAN" or "tan" may also be a three-letter abbreviation for:

• Tanzania, the country
• Total Acid Number, the measure of a lubricant's or crude oil's acidity
• Transaction authentication number in electronic banking
• Taunton Municipal Airport (IATA airport code), in Taunton, Massachusetts
• Thunderbirds Are Now!, a Detroit-based neo-post-punk band
• The Anime Network, an all-anime channel