It begins in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, flows through Seongnam, and eventually into the Han.

The original name for the stream may have been the native Korean word "Sutnae" (숯내; 순내; lit.

The meaning of this name was translated into Hanja (Chinese characters) as 炭川; this can then be read in Korean as "Tan-cheon" (탄천).

[1] The "Sut" or "Tan" part of the name may have come from a place called "Sut-gol" (숯골) or "Tan-gol" (탄골); this was an area along the river that corresponds to the current Taepyeong-dong, Sujin-dong, and Sinheung-dong in Seongnam.

[1] The stream has been known by many other names, such as Geomcheon (검천; 儉川), Heomcheon (험천; 險川), Meonae (머내), Cheonhocheon (천호천; 穿呼川), and Jancheon (잔천; 鵲川).

[4] Along the approximately 25-kilometer stretch of the Tancheon that passes through Seongnam, there are five water parks open to the public.