Chen

Chén (陳) is the second most common Chinese family name. It is occasionally romanized Chern (Chen + Er morpheme) in Mandarin Chinese (in Gwoyeu Romatzyh). It is usually romanized as Chan in Cantonese, sometimes as Chun, Chin or Zen. Some other Romanizations (from other Chinese languages) include Tan and Ding.

Chen is also a Hebrew family name used by Israeli. It is pronounced khen, and meaning grace or favor.

Famous Chens include:

• Anna Chan Chennault, first female reporter for the Central News Agency
• Jackie Chan, actor
• Charlie Chan, fictional detective
• Chen Duxiu, Communist Party of China founder
• Chen Shui-bian, President of the Republic of China
• Steve Chen, supercomputer designer
• Chen Tsyr-shiou, Chairman of Taiwan Province
• Chen Yi, Chinese communist military commander
• Chen Yi, Chief executive of Taiwan Province
• Chen Yuanyuan, concubine of Wu Sangui
• Shiing-shen Chern, mathematician
• Ming W. Chin, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court
• Tiffany Chin, figure skater
• Vincent Chin, victim of racial crime

Other meanings:

• Chen Dynasty of the Southern dynasties
• Chen (state) during the Zhou Dynasty, was rewarded to a descendant of Shun by King Wu of Zhou. In parts of today's Anhui and Henan.
• Chen Bridge is where a military uprising (陳橋兵變) that led to the establishment of Song Dynasty (960-1279).