What is the difference between Avalanche and Avalanche C chain?

Could you please clarify the distinction between Avalanche, the broader decentralized finance platform, and Avalanche C-Chain, which appears to be a specific component within the Avalanche ecosystem? I'm curious about how they relate to each other and the unique functionalities or use cases that each one offers. Is the C-Chain tailored for a specific type of transactions or applications, and if so, how does it differ from the broader Avalanche network? Additionally, are there any interoperability or compatibility considerations when working with both Avalanche and its C-Chain?