Cuculidae
杜鹃科
dù-juān kē

General

Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Pinyin reflects Mandarin pronunciation; for some dialect names, it is no more than a polite fiction. Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

There is a rich variety of names for the cuckoos in CJV. This stems partly from a preoccupation with the cuckoo's distinctive calls in traditional culture, especially poetry.

The common Chinese name for the cuckoos, one that is understood by anyone, is 布谷 bùgǔ or 布谷鸟 bùgǔ-niǎo. Ornithological lists confine this name to Cuculus canorus (Common Cuckoo) and Cuculus micropterus (Short-winged or Indian Cuckoo). Another name is 郭公 guōgōng. Both names are onomatopoeic.

In addition, a plethora of older or colloquial names exists. Traditionally, cuckoos of the genus Cuculus are known as 杜鹃 dù-juān. Other names include: 子规 zǐ -guī, 杜宇 dù-yǔ, 催归 cuī -guī 'urge return', 思归鸟 sī-guī-niǎo 'think of return bird', 鶗鴂 or 鹈鴂 tíjué (old name), 谢豹 xiè-bào (thank leopard?), 桑鸠 sāng-jiū 'mulberry dove', and 自自黑儿 zì-zì-hēir or 子子黑儿 zǐ-zǐ-hēir (colloquial).

The coucals are popularly known as 毛鸡 máo-jī 'feathered-fowl/chicken', at least in the south of China where they are actually found.

In the ornithological names, cuckoos are all identified by the character 鹃 juān, and ornithological names on the Mainland all utilise this character in various combinations for different genera and species:

Taiwanese names are less regularised and reflect older, more traditional names, with some influence from Japanese.

Naturalists call the coucals 鸦鹃 yā-juān 'crow/dark cuckoo'. Taiwan uses 番鹃 fān-juān 'foreign cuckoo', which may be from Japanese (although in form it is a Chinese-style compound). For the Greater Coucal, however, the Taiwanese ornithological names replace 番鹃 fān-juān with 鸦鹃 yā-juān.

Species names

ABOUT THIS TABLE

CENTROPODINAE
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			EAST		SOUTH	NORTH
CENTROPODINI
Centropus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Centropus sinensis	Greater coucal Common crow-pheasant Common coucal Crow-pheasant	褐翅鸦鹃 (褐翅鴉鵑) hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo'	(褐翅鸦鹃) 褐翅鴉鵑 hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo'	毛鸡 (毛雞) máo-jī 'feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 大毛鸡 (大毛雞) dà máo-jī 'large feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 红毛鸡 (紅毛雞) hóng máo-jī 'red feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 大红毛鸡 (大紅毛雞) dà hóng máo-jī 'large red feathered-fowl/chicken' 黄峰 (黃峰) huáng fēng 'yellow peak' (FS) 乌鸦雉 (烏鴉雉) wū-yā-zhì 'crow pheasant' (FS)	オオバンケン (大番鵑) ō ban-ken 'large foreign-cuckoo' (ban-ken is Chinese-style compound word)		Chim Bìm bịp lờn 'large coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)	Inner M: Хүрэвтэр хийян хөхөө ᠬᠦᠷᠡᠪᠲᠦᠷ ᠬᠠᠢᠢᠶᠠᠨ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠬᠡ khürevter khiiyan khökhöö 'lightbrown khiiyan cuckoo' (31)
Centropus bengalensis	Lesser coucal Lesser crow-pheasant	小鸦鹃 (小鴉鵑) xiǎo yā-juān 'small crow-cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 4) 印度小鸦鹃 (印度小鴉鵑) yìndù xiǎo yā-juān 'Indian small crow-cuckoo' (5) Taxonomy	(番鹃) 番鵑 fān-juān 'foreign cuckoo'	小毛鸡 (小毛雞) xiǎo máo-jī 'small feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 小红毛鸡 (小紅毛雞) xiǎo hóng máo-jī 'small red feathered-fowl/chicken' 小黄峰 (小黃峰) xiǎo huáng fēng 'small yellow peak' (FS) 小鸦雉 (小鴉雉) xiǎo yā-zhì 'small crow pheasant' (FS) 小雉喀咕 (小雉喀咕) xiǎo zhì-kēgū (xiǎo zhì-kāgū) 'small pheasant-cuckoo' (FS)	バンケン (番鵑) ban-ken 'foreign-cuckoo' (ban-ken is Chinese-style compound word)	쿠칼 kukar 'coucal' (from English)	Chim Bìm bịp nhỏ 'small coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
CUCULINAE
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			EAST		SOUTH	NORTH
PHAENICOPHAEINI
Phaenicophaeus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Phaenicophaeus tristis Rhopodytes tristis	Green-billed malkoha Greater green-billed malcoha Large green-billed malkoha	绿嘴地鹃 (綠嘴地鵑) lǜ-zuǐ dì-juān 'green-billed ground-cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 5) See P. diardi) 大绿嘴地鹃 (大綠嘴地鵑) dà lǜ-zuǐ dì-juān 'large green-billed ground-cuckoo' (4)		灰毛鸡 (灰毛雞) huī máo-jī 'grey feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS)	オニグロバンケンモドキ (鬼黒番鵑擬き) oni guro ban-ken modoki 'ogre black pseudo foreign-cuckoo' (ban-ken is Chinese-style compound word)		Rhopodytes tristis (12): Chim Phướn 'malkoha (bird)' (12, 13, 34) or Chim Coọc 'coọc bird' (12, 34)
Clamator
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Clamator jacobinus Oxylophus jacobinus	Jacobin cuckoo Pied cuckoo Black & white cuckoo Pied crested cuckoo	斑翅凤头鹃 (斑翅鳳頭鵑) bān-chì fèng-tóu juān 'stripe-winged phoenix-headed cuckoo'		斑凤头鹃 (斑鳳頭鵑) bān fèng-tóu juān 'striped phoenix-headed cuckoo' (FS) 斑凤头郭公 (斑鳳頭郭公) bān fèng-tóu guōgōng 'striped phoenix-headed guogong' (onomat.) (FS)	クロシロカンムリカッコウ (黒白冠郭公) kuro-shiro kanmuri kakkō 'black-and-white-crested cuckoo' (onomat. 'cuckoo', characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public') (Wikipedia)
Clamator coromandus	Chestnut-winged cuckoo Red-winged crested cuckoo	红翅凤头鹃 (紅翅鳳頭鵑) hóng-chì fèng-tóu juān 'red-winged phoenix-headed cuckoo'	(冠郭公) 冠郭公 guān guōgōng 'crested guogong' (onomat.)	红翅凤头郭公 (紅翅鳳頭郭公) hóng-chì fèng-tóu guōgōng 'red-winged phoenix-headed guogong' (onomat.) (FS)	カンムリカッコウ (冠郭公) kanmuri kakkō 'crested cuckoo' (onomat. 'cuckoo', characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')	밤색날개뻐꾸기 bamsaeng-nalgae-ppeokkugi 'chestnut-winged cuckoo'	Chim Khát nước 'water thirsty (bird)' (probably onomat.) (12, 13, 34)	Inner M: Цацагт хөхөөлөг ᠴᠠᠴᠣᠭᠲᠣ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠭᠡᠯᠢᠭ tsatsagt khökhöölög 'crested cuckoo-like' (31)
CUCULINI
Eudynamys
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Eudynamys scolopaceus Eudynamys scolopacea	Common koel Asian koel Koel	噪鹃 (噪鵑) zào-juān 'noisy cuckoo'	(噪鹃) 噪鵑 zào-juān 'noisy cuckoo'	哥好雀 (哥好雀) gē hǎo què 'big-brother good sparrow' (literal) (FS) 婆好 (婆好) pó hǎo 'wife is good' (Guangdong) (FS) 嫂鸟 (嫂鳥) sǎo-niǎo 'elder-brothers-wife bird' (Fujian) (FS) 鬼郭公 (鬼郭公) guǐ guōgōng 'ogre cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public') (Taiwan) (FS)	オニカッコウ (鬼郭公) oni kakkō 'ogre cuckoo' (onomat. 'cuckoo', characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')	초록부리뻐꾸기 chorok-buri-ppeokkugi 'green-billed cuckoo' (onomat.) or 검은뻐꾸기 geomeun-ppeokkugi 'black cuckoo' (onomat.)	Chim Tu hú 'tu hú bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)	Inner M: Дуут хөхөө ᠳᠠᠭᠣᠳᠣ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠬᠡ duut khökhöö 'calling cuckoo' (31)
Chrysococcyx
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Chrysococcyx maculatus Chalcites maculatus	Asian emerald cuckoo Emerald cuckoo	翠金鹃 (翠金鵑) cuì jīn-juān 'jade gold-cuckoo'		翠鹃 (翠鵑) cuì juān 'jade cuckoo' (FS) 亚洲翠鹃 (亞洲翠鵑) yàzhōu cuì juān 'Asian jade cuckoo' (FS)	ミドリテリカッコウ (緑照り郭公) midori teri-kakkō 'green glossy-cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')		Chim Tìm vịt xanh 'blue/green tìm vịt bird' (12, 13)
Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus Chalcites xanthorhynchus	Violet cuckoo	紫金鹃 (紫金鵑) zǐ jīn-juān 'purple gold-cuckoo'		紫杜鹃 (紫杜鵑) zǐ dù-juān 'purple cuckoo' (FS)	スミレテリカッコウ (すみれ照り郭公) sumire teri-kakkō 'violet glossy-cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')		Chim Tìm vịt tím 'purple tìm vịt bird' (12, 34)
Cacomantis
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Cacomantis sonneratii Penthoceryx sonneratii Cuculus sonneratii	Banded bay cuckoo	栗斑杜鹃 (栗斑杜鵑) lì-bān dùjuān 'chestnut striped cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 4) 栗斑丛杜鹃 (栗斑叢杜鵑) lì-bān cóng dùjuān 'chestnut-striped bush cuckoo' (5)		波斑杜鹃 (波斑杜鵑) bō-bān dùjuān 'wavy-striped cuckoo' (FS)	クリイロヒメカッコウ (栗色姫郭公) kuri-iro hime kakkō 'chestnut-coloured princess cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')		Chim Tìm vịt vằn 'striped tìm vịt bird' (12)
Cacomantis merulinus Cuculus merulinus	Plaintive cuckoo	八声杜鹃 (八聲杜鵑) bā-shēng dù-juān 'eight-voiced cuckoo'	(八声杜鹃) 八聲杜鵑 bā-shēng dù-juān 'eight-voiced cuckoo'	八声喀咕 (八聲喀咕) bā-shēng kēgū (bā-shēng kāgū) 'eight-voiced kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 八声悲鹃 (八聲悲鵑) bā-shēng bēi-juān 'eight-voiced sad cuckoo' (FS) 红嘴哀声喀咕 (紅嘴哀聲喀咕) hóng-zuǐ āi-shēng kēgū (hóng-zuǐ āi-shēng kāgū) 'red-billed sad-voiced kegu/kagu' (onomat.) 哀杜鹃 (哀杜鵑) āi dù-juān 'sad cuckoo' (FS)	ヒメカッコウ (姫郭公) hime kakkō 'princess cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')		Chim Tìm vịt 'tìm vịt bird' (12, 13, 34)
Surniculus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Surniculus lugubris	Drongo Cuckoo Asian Drongo-Cuckoo Drongo-cuckoo	乌鹃 (烏鵑) wū-juān 'dark (or crow) cuckoo'	(乌鹃) 烏鵑 wū-juān 'dark (or crow) cuckoo'	卷尾鹃 (卷尾鵑) juǎn-wěi-juān 'curl-tailed(=drongo) cuckoo' (FS) 乌喀咕 (烏喀咕) wū-kēgū (wū kāgū) 'dark (or crow) cuckoo' (FS)	オウチュウカッコウ (烏秋郭公) ōchū kakkō 'drongo cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')	검은두견이 geomeun-dugyeoni 'black dugyeoni' dugyeoni from Chinese	Chim Cu cu đen 'black cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
Hierococcyx
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Hierococcyx sparverioides Cuculus sparverioides	Large Hawk Cuckoo Large Hawk-cuckoo	鹰鹃 (鷹鵑) yīng-juān 'hawk cuckoo'	(鹰鹃) 鷹鵑 yīng-juān 'hawk cuckoo'	鹰头杜鹃 (鷹頭杜鵑) yīng-tóu dùjuān 'hawk-headed cuckoo' (FS) 大鹰鹃 (大鷹鵑) dà yīng-juān 'large hawk cuckoo' (FS) 子规 (子規) zǐguī 'zigui' (FS) 佛鴂 (佛鴂) fójué 'buddhist jue' (FS) 大鹰喀咕 (大鷹咯咕) dà yīng kāgū ~ kēgū 'large hawk cuckoo'	オオジュウイチ (大十一) ō jū-ichi 'large ju-ichi' (see jū-ichi)	큰매사촌 keun-mae-sachon 'large hawk cousin'	Cuculus sparverioides (12, 34): Chim Chèo chẹo lớn 'large chèo chẹo bird' (12, 13, 34)	Inner M: Өвөгт хөхөө ᠦᠪᠦᠭᠲᠦ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠭᠡ övögt khökhöö 'crested cuckoo' (31)
Hierococcyx varius Cuculus varius	Common Hawk Cuckoo Common Hawk-cuckoo	南亚鹰鹃 (南亞鷹鵑) nán-yà yīng-juān 'South Asian hawk cuckoo' (2, 4) 普通鹰鹃 (普通鷹鵑) pǔtōng yīng-juān 'common hawk cuckoo' (3, 5)			チャバラカッコウ (茶腹郭公) cha-bara kakkō 'brown-bellied cuckoo' (onomat. 'cuckoo', characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')		Chèo chẹo thông thường 'common cuckoo' (Wikipedia)
Hierococcyx nisicolor Cuculus fugax	Whistling Hawk Cuckoo Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo Hodgson's Hawk-cuckoo Fugitive hawk cuckoo	Cuculus fugax: 棕腹杜鹃 (棕腹杜鵑) zōng fù dù-juān 'reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' Taxonomy	(棕腹杜鹃) 棕腹杜鵑 zōng fù dù-juān 'reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo'	棕腹鹰鹃 (棕腹鷹鵑) zōng fù yīng-juān 'reddishbrown-bellied hawk-cuckoo' (FS) 小鹰鹃 (小鷹鵑) xiǎo yīng-juān 'small hawk-cuckoo' (FS)	ジュウイチ (十一) jū-ichi 'ju-ichi' (onomat.), written 'eleven'		Cuculus fugax (12): Chim Chèo chẹo nhỏ 'small chèo chẹo bird' (12, 13)
Hierococcyx hyperythrus Cuculus hyperythrus	Northern Hawk-cuckoo Rufous Hawk-Cuckoo	北棕腹杜鹃 (北棕腹杜鵑) běi zōng-fù dù-juān 'north reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' (2)			キタジュウイチ (北十一) kita jū-ichi 'north ju-ichi' (from the bird's cry), written 'eleven'	매사촌 mae-sachon 'hawk cousin'	Cuculus hyperythrus: Cu cu Bắc Bộ 'northern cuckoo' (34)
Cuculus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Cuculus micropterus	Indian cuckoo Short-winged cuckoo	四声杜鹃 (四聲杜鵑) sì-shēng dù-juān 'four-voiced cuckoo'	(四声杜鹃) 四聲杜鵑 sì-shēng dù-juān 'four-voiced cuckoo'	布谷 (布穀) bùgǔ 'bùgǔ' (onomat.) 光棍好过 (光棍好過) guānggùn hǎo guò 'bachelor lives well' (FS) 光棍背钮 (光棍背鈕) guānggùn bèi niu 'bachelor back button ?' (onomat.) 关公好哭 (關公好哭) guānggōng hǎo kù 'Guangong cries a lot' (onomat.; Guangong is deified historical figure) (FS) 快快割麦 (快快割麥) kuài kuài gē mài 'hurry and reap the wheat' (onomat.) (FS) 家婆打我 (家婆打我) jiā-pó dǎ wǒ 'wife beats me' (onomat.) (Cantonese colloquial) (FS) 花喀咕 (花喀咕) huā kēgū (huā kāgū) 'flowery kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 印度喀咕 (印度喀咕) yìndù kēgū (yìndù kāgū) 'Indian kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 刮锅 (刮鍋) guā guō 'scrape pot' (onomat.) 豌豆八哥 (豌豆八哥) wān-dòu bāgē 'pea myna' (FS)	セグロカッコウ (背黒郭公) se-guro kakkō 'black-backed cuckoo' (onomat. 'cuckoo', characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')	검은등뻐꾸기 geomeun-deung-ppeokkugi 'black-backed cuckoo' (onomat.)	Chim Bắt cô trói cột 'bắt cô trói cột (bird)' (12, 13, 34)	Жагар хөхөө ᠵᠠᠭᠠᠷ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠭᠡ jagar khökhöö 'Indian cuckoo' (onomat.) Inner M: Шовшуур хөхөө ᠱᠣᠪᠰᠢᠭᠣᠷ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠭᠡ shovshuur khökhöö 'cuckoo cuckoo' (onomat.) (31, 32)
Cuculus canorus	Common cuckoo Eurasian cuckoo Cuckoo	大杜鹃 (大杜鵑) dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo'	(大杜鹃) 大杜鵑 dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo' Taiwan formerly: (布谷) 布穀 bùgǔ 'bùgǔ' (onomat.)	布谷鸟 (布穀鳥) bùgǔ-niǎo 'bùgǔ bird' (onomat.) 布谷 (布穀) bùgǔ 'bùgǔ' (onomat.) (31) 郭公 (郭公) guōgōng 'guōgōng' (onomat.) (characters mean 'city outer wall' + 'public') (FS) 杜鹃 (杜鵑) dùjuān 'cuckoo' 鸤鸠 (鳲鳩) shì jiū 'shi dove' (FS) 喀咕 (喀咕) kēgū (kāgū) 'kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS)	カッコウ (郭公) kakkō 'cuckoo'(onomat., characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')	뻐꾸기 ppeokkugi 'cuckoo' (onomat.)	Chim Cu cu 'cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)	Эгэл хөхөө ᠡᠭᠡᠯ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠭᠡ egel khökhöö 'common cuckoo' (onomat.) Inner M: Хөхөө ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠭᠡ khökhöö 'cuckoo' (onomat.) (31, 32)
Cuculus saturatus	Himalayan cuckoo East Asian cuckoo	中杜鹃 (中杜鵑) zhōng dù-juān 'medium cuckoo'	(中杜鹃) 中杜鵑 zhōng dù-juān 'medium cuckoo' Taiwan formerly: (筒鸟) 筒鳥 tǒng-niǎo 'tube bird'	中喀咕 (中喀咕) zhōng kēgū (zhōng kāgū) 'medium kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 蓬蓬鸟 (蓬蓬鳥) péng-péng-niǎo 'dishevelled bird' (FS) 山郭公 (山郭公) shān guōgōng 'mountain guōgōng' (onomat.) (characters mean 'city outer wall' + 'public') (FS)	ツツドリ (筒鳥) tsutsu-dori 'tube bird' (cry resembles sound of hitting a tube or pipe)	벙어리뻐꾸기 beongeori-ppeokkugi 'mute cuckoo' (onomat.)	Chim Cu cu Himalaya 'Himalayan cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (34)	Ханамал хөхөө ᠬᠠᠨᠣᠮᠠᠯ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠭᠡ khanmal khökhöö 'saturated cuckoo' (onomat.) Inner M: Бэсрэг хөхөө ᠪᠡᠰᠷᠡᠭ ᠬᠦᠬᠡ besreg khökhöö 'medium cuckoo' (onomat.) (32)
Cuculus poliocephalus	Lesser cuckoo Small cuckoo	小杜鹃 (小杜鵑) xiǎo dù-juān 'small cuckoo'	(小杜鹃) 小杜鵑 xiǎo dù-juān 'small cuckoo'	小郭公 (小郭公) xiǎo guōgōng 'small guōgōng' (onomat.) (characters mean 'city outer wall' + 'public') (FS) 点灯捉虼蚤 (點燈捉虼蚤) diǎn-dēng zhuō gèzǎo 'light the lamp catch a flea' (onomat.) (Sichuan dialect) (FS)	ホトトギス (時鳥, 子規, 杜鵑, 不如帰, 郭公) hototogisu 'hototogisu' (written 1. 'time bird, 2. shiki (from Chinese), 3. token, from Chinese, 4. funyoki = better-go-back', 5. kakko, see Cuculus canorus above).	두견이 dugyeoni 'dugyeoni' (from Chinese)	Chim Cu cu nhỏ 'small cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)	Хурган хөхөө ᠬᠣᠷᠭᠠᠨ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠭᠡ khurgaŋ khökhöö 'lamb cuckoo' (onomat.) Inner M: Өчүүхэн хөхөө ᠦᠴᠦᠬᠡᠨ ᠬᠦᠬᠦᠬᠡ öchüükheŋ khökhöö 'small cuckoo' (onomat.) (31, 32)

Floating Menu by Milonic

TOP

Tool tips by Walter Zorn