Tangerines are an orange-colored citrus fruit which is a variety of the Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata). A tangerine is smaller than most oranges, and are usually much easier to peel and to split into segments. The taste of atangerine is often less sour, or tart, than that of an orange.

Tangerines will be firm to slightly soft, heavy for their size, and pebbly-skinned with no deep grooves, as well as orange in color. The peak of tangerine seasons is short, lasting from October to April in the Northern Hemisphere. The tangerine is most commonly peeled and eaten out of hand. The fresh fruit is also used in salads, desserts and main dishes. Fresh juice and frozen tangerine juice concentrate are commonly available in the United States. The number of seeds in each segment (carpel) varies greatly.

A popular alternative to the tangerine is clementines, which are called seedless tangerines and are also a variant of the mandarin orange.