General
Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Pinyin readings reflect standard Mandarin usage; for some dialect alternative names it may be of little practical use, especially for South China. Many Korean glosses are highly tentative. Comments and corrections welcome.
The Chinese term for 'crane' is 鹤 . Cranes are also known as 仙鹤 '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 Oriental 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 ) 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 (Hover cursor to see) SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
EAST |
SOUTH | NORTH |
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| Anthropoides | ||||||||
Latin |
English | Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Anthropoides virgo Grus virgo  |
Demoiselle crane | 蓑羽鹤 (蓑羽鶴) 'raincoat feather crane' |
(蓑羽鹤) 蓑羽鶴 'raincoat feather crane' |
闺秀鹤 (閨秀鶴) 'young lady (=demoiselle) crane' (FS) |
アネハヅル (姉羽鶴) ane-ha-zuru 'big-sister feather crane' |
쇠재두루미 soe-jae-durumi 'small jae crane' |
Өвөгт тогируу övögt togiruu 'crested crane' |
|
| Grus | ||||||||
Latin |
English | Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Grus leucogeranus |
Siberian crane Great white crane Siberian white crane | 白鹤 (白鶴) 'white crane' |
黑袖鹤 (黑袖鶴) 'black-sleeved crane' (FS) 西伯利亚白鹤 (西伯利亞鶴) 'Siberian white crane' (FS) |
ソデグロヅル (袖黒鶴) sode-guro-zuru 'black-sleeved crane' |
시베리아흰두루미 siberia-huin-durumi 'Siberian white crane' |
Цагаан тогоруу tsagaaŋ togoruu 'white crane' |
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| Grus canadensis |
Sandhill crane | 沙丘鹤 (沙丘鶴) 'sand hill crane' |
加拿大鹤 (加拿大鶴) 'Canadian crane' (FS) 棕鹤 (棕鶴) 'brown crane' (FS) |
カナダヅル (カナダ鶴) kanada-zuru 'Canadian crane' |
캐나다두루미 kaenada-durumi 'Canadian crane' |
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| Grus antigone |
Sarus crane | 赤颈鹤 (赤頸鶴) 'red-necked crane' |
大鹤 (大鶴) 'large crane' 印度鹤 (印度鶴) 'Indian crane' |
オオヅル (大鶴) ō-zuru 'large crane' |
Chim Sếu cổ trụi 'bare-necked crane (bird)' or Chim Sếu đầu đỏ 'red-headed crane (bird)' |
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| Grus vipio |
White-naped crane Japanese white-naped crane White-necked crane |
白枕鹤 (白枕鶴) 'white-naped crane' |
(白枕鹤) 白枕鶴 'white-naped crane' |
红面鹤 (紅面鶴) 'red-faced crane' (FS) |
マナヅル (真鶴) mana-zuru 'true crane' |
재두루미 jae-durumi 'jae crane' |
Цэн тогоруу tseŋ togoruu 'white-silk crane' |
|
| Grus grus |
Common crane | 灰鹤 (灰鶴) 'grey crane' |
(灰鹤) 灰鶴 'grey crane' |
玄鹤 (玄鶴) 'dark crane' (also Grus monacha) 仓庚 or 苍庚 (倉庚 or 蒼庚) 'canggeng' (仓庚 also used for oriole; 苍庚 'darkblue geng' used only for crane) 鸧鸹 (鶬鴰) 'cang + crow' 番薯鹤 (番薯鶴) 'sweet potato crane' 欧亚鹤 (歐亞鶴) '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)' |
Хархираа тогоруу kharkhiraa togoruu 'kharkhiraa crane' |
Latin |
English | Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Grus monacha |
Hooded crane | 白头鹤 (白頭鶴) 'white-headed crane' |
(白头鹤) 白頭鶴 'white-headed crane' |
青庄鹤 (青莊鶴) 'green field (=blue heron) crane' 锅鹤 (鍋鶴) 'pot crane' (FS) 玄鹤 (玄鶴) 'dark crane' (FS) |
ナベヅル (鍋鶴) nabe-zuru 'pot crane' |
흑두루미 heuk-durumi 'black crane' |
Хар тогоруу khar togoruu 'black crane' |
|
| Grus nigricollis |
Black-necked crane | 黑颈鹤 (黑頸鶴) 'black-necked crane' |
黑头鹤 (黑頭鶴) 'black-headed crane' 黑尾鹤 (黑尾鶴) 'black-tailed crane' 西藏鹤 (西藏鶴) 'Tibetan crane' (FS) |
オグロヅル (尾黒鶴) o-guro zuru 'black-tailed crane' |
Chim Sếu xám 'grey crane (bird)' |
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| Grus japonensis |
Red-crowned crane Manchurian crane Japanese crane |
丹顶鹤 (丹頂鶴) 'red-capped crane' |
(丹顶鹤) 丹頂鶴 'red-capped crane' |
仙鹤 (仙鶴) '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 alag togoruu 'motley crane' |
