Gruidae
鹤科
hè 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.

The Chinese term for 'crane' is 鹤 hè. Cranes are also known as 仙鹤 xiān-hè 'fairy cranes' (often used specifically for the Manchurian or Red-crowned Crane, Grus japonensis). Chinese has a rich and sometimes confusing variety of names for the cranes -- see alternative names in the table of species below.

The Chinese name relating to 'fairy cranes' (also borrowed into Japanese) refers to the Chinese legend that the crane carries an immortal or sage ('fairy') on its back when he visits the mortal world.

The crane is a symbol of longevity in East Asian culture and is often depicted in traditional paintings and statues.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties in China, the crane was depicted in 'Mandarin Squares' (known as 补子 bǔzi) attached to official uniforms of high-ranking bureaucrats. The Red-crowned Crane (仙鹤) was the insignia of rank for Grade One, the highest rank of civilian official.

Species names

ABOUT THIS TABLE

GRUINAE
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			EAST		SOUTH	NORTH
Leucogeranus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Leucogeranus leucogeranus Grus leucogeranus	Siberian crane Great white crane Siberian white crane	Grus leucogeranus: 白鹤 (白鶴) bái-hè 'white crane'		黑袖鹤 (黑袖鶴) hēi-xiù hè 'black-sleeved crane' (FS) 西伯利亚白鹤 (西伯利亞鶴) xībólìyà bái-hè 'Siberian white crane' (FS)	Grus leucogeranus: ソデグロヅル (袖黒鶴) sode-guro-zuru 'black-sleeved crane'	Grus leucogeranus: 시베리아흰두루미 siberia-huin-durumi 'Siberian white crane'		Grus leucogeranus: Цагаан тогоруу ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ tsagaaŋ togoruu 'white crane' Inner M: Grus leucogeranus: Цагаан тогоруу ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ tsagaaŋ togoruu 'white crane' (32)
Antigone
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Antigone canadensis Grus canadensis	Sandhill crane	Grus canadensis: 沙丘鹤 (沙丘鶴) shā-qiū hè 'sand hill crane'		加拿大鹤 (加拿大鶴) jiānádà hè 'Canadian crane' (FS) 棕鹤 (棕鶴) zōng hè 'brown crane' (FS)	Grus canadensis: カナダヅル (カナダ鶴) kanada-zuru 'Canadian crane'	Grus canadensis: 캐나다두루미 kaenada-durumi 'Canadian crane'
Antigone vipio Grus vipio	White-naped crane Japanese white-naped crane White-necked crane	Grus vipio: 白枕鹤 (白枕鶴) bái-zhěn hè 'white-naped crane'	Grus vipio: (白枕鹤) 白枕鶴 bái-zhěn hè 'white-naped crane'	红面鹤 (紅面鶴) hóng-miàn hè 'red-faced crane' (FS)	Grus vipio: マナヅル (真鶴) mana-zuru 'true crane'	Grus vipio: 재두루미 jae-durumi 'jae crane'		Grus vipio: Цэн тогоруу ᠴᠠᠨ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ tseŋ togoruu 'white-silk crane' Inner M: Grus vipio: Тогоруу ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ togoruu 'crane' (32)
Antigone antigone Grus antigone	Sarus crane	Grus antigone: 赤颈鹤 (赤頸鶴) chì-jǐng hè 'red-necked crane'		大鹤 (大鶴) dà hè 'large crane' 印度鹤 (印度鶴) yìndù hè 'Indian crane'	オオヅル (大鶴) ō-zuru 'large crane'		Grus antigone: Chim Sếu cổ trụi 'bare-necked crane (bird)' (12, 34) or Chim Sếu đầu đỏ 'red-headed crane (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Grus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Grus virgo Anthropoides virgo	Demoiselle crane	Anthropoides virgo: 蓑羽鹤 (蓑羽鶴) suō yǔ hè 'raincoat feather crane'	Anthropoides virgo: (蓑羽鹤) 蓑羽鶴 suō yǔ hè 'raincoat feather crane'	闺秀鹤 (閨秀鶴) guī-xiù hè 'young lady (=demoiselle) crane' (FS)	Anthropoides virgo: アネハヅル (姉羽鶴) ane-ha-zuru 'big-sister feather crane'	쇠재두루미 soe-jae-durumi 'small jae crane'		Anthropoides virgo: Өвөгт тогируу ᠦᠪᠦᠭᠲᠣ ᠲᠣᠭᠢᠷᠣᠣ övögt togiruu 'crested crane' Inner M: Anthropoides virgo: Хархираа ᠬᠠᠷᠬᠢᠷ᠎ᠠ kharkhiraa 'kharkhiraa' (31, 32)
Grus japonensis	Red-crowned crane Manchurian crane Japanese crane	丹顶鹤 (丹頂鶴) dān-dǐng hè 'red-capped crane'	(丹顶鹤) 丹頂鶴 dān-dǐng hè 'red-capped crane'	仙鹤 (仙鶴) xiān-hè 'fairy crane' (FS)	タンチョウ (丹頂) tanchō 'red-cap'	두루미 durumi 'crane'	Sếu Nhật Bản 'Japanese crane' Sếu đầu đỏ Nhật Bản 'Japanese red-headed crane' (from Cites list on Internet)	Алаг тогоруу ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ alag togoruu 'motley crane' Inner M: Сарт цагаан тогоруу ᠰᠠᠷᠲᠣ ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ sart tsagaaŋ togoruu 'mooned white crane' (31, 32)
Grus grus	Common crane	灰鹤 (灰鶴) huī-hè 'grey crane'	(灰鹤) 灰鶴 huī-hè 'grey crane'	玄鹤 (玄鶴) xuán-hè 'dark crane' (also Grus monacha) 仓庚 or 苍庚 (倉庚 or 蒼庚) cānggēng 'canggeng' (仓庚 also used for oriole; 苍庚 'darkblue geng' used only for crane) 鸧鸹 (鶬鴰) cāng-guā 'cang + crow' 番薯鹤 (番薯鶴) fānshǔ hè 'sweet potato crane' 欧亚鹤 (歐亞鶴) ōu-yà hè 'Eurasian crane' (FS)	クロヅル (黒鶴) kuro-zuru 'black crane'	검은목두루미 geomeun-mok-durumi 'black-necked crane'	Chim Sếu cổ trắng 'white-necked crane (bird)' (12, 13, 34)	Хархираа тогоруу ᠬᠠᠷᠬᠢᠷ᠎ᠠ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ kharkhiraa togoruu 'kharkhiraa crane' Inner M: Хөх тогоруу ᠬᠦᠬᠡ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ khökh togoruu 'darkblue crane' (31, 32)
Grus monacha	Hooded crane	白头鹤 (白頭鶴) bái-tóu hè 'white-headed crane'	(白头鹤) 白頭鶴 bái-tóu hè 'white-headed crane'	青庄鹤 (青莊鶴) qīng zhuāng hè 'green/blue field (=blue heron) crane' 锅鹤 (鍋鶴) guō hè 'pot crane' (FS) 玄鹤 (玄鶴) xuán-hè 'dark crane' (FS)	ナベヅル (鍋鶴) nabe-zuru 'pot crane'	흑두루미 heuk-durumi 'black crane'		Хар тогоруу ᠬᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ khar togoruu 'black crane' Inner M: Хар тогоруу ᠬᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ khar togoruu 'black crane' (32)
Grus nigricollis	Black-necked crane	黑颈鹤 (黑頸鶴) hēi-jǐng hè 'black-necked crane'		黑头鹤 (黑頭鶴) hēi-tóu hè 'black-headed crane' 黑尾鹤 (黑尾鶴) hēi-wěi hè 'black-tailed crane' 西藏鹤 (西藏鶴) xīzàng hè 'Tibetan crane' (FS)	オグロヅル (尾黒鶴) o-guro zuru 'black-tailed crane'		Chim Sếu xám 'grey crane (bird)' (12, 13, 34)	Inner M: Хар хүзүүт тогоруу ᠬᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ ᠬᠦᠵᠦᠭᠦᠲᠦ ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠷᠣᠣ khar khüzüüt togoruu 'black-necked crane' (31)

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