Rallidae
秧鸡科
yāng-jī kē

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 general name for the rails in Chinese is 秧鸡 yāng-jī. 秧 yāng means 'seedling'; 鸡 jī means 'fowl/chicken' or 'fowl'. This term has a respectable history and is found in the Ming-era Compendium of Chinese Materia Medica.

Other names for members of the Rallidae include:

田鸡 tián-jī 'paddy-fowl/chicken', used for various crakes (although the most familiar interpretation for the average Chinese is 'frog meat', which is what it means on Chinese menus).

苦恶鸟 kǔ-è-niǎo 'bitter evil bird' (origin unknown, possibly onomatopoeic), used for the White-breasted Waterhen and several other species.

水鸡 'water fowl/chicken' shuǐ-jī, used for the Purple Swamp Hen, the Water Rail, and the Moorhen.

The Moorhen and the Coot are interesting for the variety of names used.

The Moorhen Gallinula chloropus is known as 黑水鸡 hēi shuǐ-jī 'black water fowl/chicken' or 红骨顶 hóng gǔ-dǐng 'red bone top'. Taiwan uses as its official name 红冠水鸡 hóng-guān shuǐ-jī 'red-crested water fowl/chicken'.

The Black Coot Fulica atra is known as the 骨顶鸡 gǔ dǐng jī 'bone top fowl/chicken' or 白骨顶 bái gǔ-dǐng 'white bone top', the latter a North Chinese term. 白冠鸡 bái-guān jī 'white-crested fowl/chicken' is used in Taiwan.

Both the Moorhen and the Black Coot are also known as 鷭 fán, which appears to be a Japanese borrowing.

The use of names by Mainland ornithologists at Porzana and Amaurornis has been regularised. Regularisation has been somewhat confused by differences or changes in generic assignments.

2. Species names

ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see)

SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			EAST		SOUTH	NORTH
Coturnicops
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Coturnicops exquisitus Porzana exquisita	Swinhoe's rail or Swinhoe's crake Swinhoe's yellow rail	花田鸡 (花田雞) huā tián-jī 'flowery paddy-fowl/chicken'		小翅田鸡 (小翅田雞) xiǎo-chì tián-jī 'small-winged paddy-fowl/chicken'	シマクイナ (縞秧鶏 ~ 縞水鶏) shima kuina 'striped rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)	알락뜸부기 allak-tteumbugi 'spotted rail'		Бичилхэн түнжгэр bichilkheŋ tüŋjger 'small rail (variant)' Former official: Бичилхэн түнжүүр bichilkheŋ tüŋjüür 'small rail'
Rallina
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Rallina eurizonoides	Slaty-legged crake Banded crake	白喉斑秧鸡 (白喉斑秧雞) bái-hóu bān yāng-jī 'white-throated striped seedling-fowl/chicken'	(灰脚秧鸡) 灰腳秧雞 huī-jiǎo yāng-jī 'grey-legged seedling-fowl/chicken' Taiwan former official: 灰腿秧鸡 (灰腿秧雞) huī-tuǐ yāng-jī 'grey-legged seedling-fowl/chicken'		オオクイナ (大秧鶏 ~ 大水鶏) ō kuina 'large rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)		Gà nước họng trắng 'white-throated water-fowl/chicken'
Gallirallus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Gallirallus striatus Rallus striatus	Slaty-breasted rail Blue-breasted banded rail Banded rail	灰胸秧鸡 (灰胸秧雞) huī-xiōng yāng-jī 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (2, 4) 蓝胸秧鸡 (藍胸秧雞) lán-xiōng yāng-jī 'blue-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (1, 3, 5)	(灰胸秧鸡) 灰胸秧雞 huī-xiōng yāng-jī 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken'		ミナミクイナ (南秧鶏 ~ 南水鶏) minami kuina 'southern rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)		Gà nước vằn 'striped water-fowl/chicken'
Rallus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Rallus aquaticus Rallina aquatica	Water rail	普通秧鸡 (普通秧雞) pǔtōng yāng-jī 'common seedling-fowl/chicken'	(秧鸡) 秧雞 yāng-jī 'seedling-fowl/chicken'	秋鸡 (秋雞) qiū-jī 'autumn fowl/chicken' 水鸡 (水雞) shuǐ-jī 'water-fowl/chicken'	クイナ (秧鶏 ~ 水鶏) kuina 'rail' (written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)	흰눈썹뜸부기 huin-nunsseop-tteumbugi 'white-eyebrowed rail'	Gà nước Ấn Độ 'Indian water-fowl/chicken' Gà nước 'water-fowl/chicken' (13)	Усны түнжүүр usni tüŋjüür 'water rail' Former official: Түнжүүр tüŋjüür 'rail'
Crex
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Crex crex	Corncrake or Corn crake	长脚秧鸡 (長腳秧雞) cháng-jiǎo yāng-jī 'long-legged seedling-fowl/chicken'			ウズラクイナ (鶉秧鶏 ~ 鶉水鶏) uzura kuina 'quail rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)			Явган түнжйн yavgaŋ tüŋjiŋ 'walking rail (variant)' Former official: Тариан түнжүүр tariaŋ tüŋjüür 'grain rail'
Amaurornis
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Amaurornis akool	Brown crake Crimson-legged crake	红脚苦恶鸟 (紅腳苦惡鳥) hóng-jiǎo kǔ-è-niǎo 'red-legged kǔ-è bird' (onomat. kǔ-è is written 'bitter evil')	(红脚苦恶鸟) 紅腳苦惡鳥 hóng-jiǎo kǔ-è-niǎo 'red-legged kǔ-è bird' (onomat. kǔ-è is written 'bitter evil')		チャバネクイナ (茶羽秧鶏 ~ 茶羽水鶏) cha-bane kuina 'brown-winged rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)		Chim Cuốc chân đỏ 'red-legged crake (bird)' (onomat.)
Amaurornis phoenicurus	White-breasted waterhen White-breasted water hen	白胸苦恶鸟 (白胸苦惡鳥) bái-xiōng kǔ-è-niǎo 'white-breasted kǔ-è bird' (onomat. kǔ-è is written 'bitter evil')	(白腹秧鸡) 白腹秧雞 bái-fù yāng-jī 'white-bellied seedling-fowl/chicken'	白胸秧鸡 (白胸秧雞) bái-xiōng yāng-jī 'white-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (7) 苦恶鸟 (苦惡鳥) kǔ-è-niǎo 'kǔ-è bird' (onomat. kǔ-è is written 'bitter evil') (苦惡鳥) kǔ-è-niǎo 'kǔ-è bird' (onomat. kǔ-è is written 'bitter evil') 苦娃子 (苦娃子) kǔwāzi 'kuwazi' (onomat.) 白脸秧鸡 (白臉秧雞) bái-liǎn yāng-jī 'white-faced seedling-fowl/chicken' 白面鸡 (白面雞) bái-miàn-jī 'white-faced fowl' 白胸黑水鸡 (白胸黑水雞) bái-xiōng hēi shuǐ-jī 'white-breasted black water-fowl/chicken' (='white-breasted moorhen') 姑恶鸡 (姑惡雞) gū-è-jī 'mother-in-law evil fowl' (gū-è onomat.)	シロハラクイナ (白腹秧鶏 ~ 白腹水鶏) shiro-hara kuina 'white-bellied rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)	흰배뜸부기 huin-bae-tteumbugi 'white-bellied rail'	Chim Cuốc ngực trắng 'white-bellied crake (bird)' (onomat.)	Цагааномруут түнжүүхэй tsagaaŋ-omruut tüŋjüükhei 'white-bellied rail (variant)'
Porzana
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Porzana bicolor Amaurornis bicolor	Black-tailed crake Elwes' crake Rufous-backed crake	黑尾苦恶鸟 (黑尾苦惡鳥) hēi-wěi kǔ-è-niǎo 'black-tailed kǔ-è bird' (onomat. kǔ-èis written 'bitter evil') (2, 4) 棕背田鸡 (棕背田雞) zōng-bèi tián-jī 'reddishbrown-backed paddy-fowl/chicken' (1, 3, 5)			オグロクイナ (尾黒秧鶏 ~ 尾黒水鶏) o-guro kuina 'black-tailed rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)		Chim Cuốc ngực xám 'grey-bellied crake (bird)' (onomat.)
Porzana parva	Little crake	姬田鸡 (姬田雞) jī tián-jī 'lady paddy-fowl/chicken'			コクイナ (小秧鶏 ~ 小水鶏) ko kuina 'small rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)
Porzana pusilla	Baillon's crake	小田鸡 (小田雞) xiǎo tián-jī 'small paddy-fowl/chicken'	(小秧鸡) 小秧雞 xiǎo yāng-jī 'small seedling-fowl/chicken'		ヒメクイナ (姫水鶏 ~ 姫秧鶏) hime kuina 'princess rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)	쇠뜸부기 soe-tteumbugi 'small rail'	Chim Cuốc lùn 'dwarf crake (bird)' (onomat.)	Оодон түнжгэр oodoŋ tünjger 'short rail (variant)' Former official: Оодон түнжүүр oodoŋ tüŋjüür 'short rail'
Porzana porzana	Spotted crake	斑胸田鸡 (斑胸田雞) bān-xiōng tián-jī 'stripe-breasted paddy-fowl/chicken'	(斑胸田鸡) 斑胸田雞 bān-xiōng tián-jī 'stripe-breasted paddy-fowl/chicken'		コモンクイナ (小紋水鶏 ~ 小紋秧鶏) komon kuina 'fine-patterned rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)			Тоодон түнжгэр toodoŋ tünjger 'short rail (variant)' Former official: Тоодон түнжүүр toodoŋ tüŋjüür 'short rail'
Porzana fusca	Ruddy-breasted crake Ruddy crake	红胸田鸡 (紅胸田雞) hóng-xiōng tián-jī 'red-breasted paddy-fowl/chicken'	(绯秧鸡) 緋秧雞 fēi yāng-jī 'scarlet seedling-fowl/chicken'		ヒクイナ (緋秧鶏 ~ 緋水鶏) hi-kuina 'scarlet rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)	쇠뜸부기사촌 soe-tteumbugi-sachon 'small rail cousin'	Chim Cuốc ngực nâu 'brown-bellied crake (bird)' (onomat.)
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Porzana paykullii Rallina paykullii	Band-bellied crake Chestnut-breasted crake	斑胁田鸡 (斑脇田雞) bān-xié tián-jī 'stripe-flanked paddy-fowl/chicken' (1, 2, 4, 5) 斑肋田鸡 (斑肋田雞) bān-lèi tián-jī 'stripe-ribbed paddy-fowl/chicken' (3)	(斑胁田鸡) 斑脇田雞 bān-xié tián-jī 'stripe-flanked paddy-fowl/chicken'	斑田鸡 (斑田雞) bān tián-jī 'striped paddy-fowl/chicken'	コウライヒクイナ (高麗緋秧鶏 ~ 高麗緋水鶏) kōrai hi-kuina 'Korean scarlet rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)	한국뜸부기 hanguk-tteumbugi 'Korean rail'	Chim Cuốc nâu 'brown crake (bird)' (onomat.)
Porzana cinerea	White-browed crake White-browed rail	白眉田鸡 (白眉田雞) bái-méi tián-jī 'white-eyebrowed paddy-fowl/chicken' (2, 4) 白眉秧鸡 (白眉秧雞) bái-méi yāng-jī 'white-eyebrowed seedling-fowl/chicken' (3) 灰田鸡 (灰田雞) huī tián-jī 'grey paddy-fowl/chicken' (5)	(白眉秧鸡) 白眉秧雞 bái-méi yāng-jī 'white-eyebrowed seedling-fowl/chicken'		マミジロクイナ (眉白秧鶏 ~ 眉白水鶏) mami-jiro-kuina 'white-eyebrowed rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)		Gà nước mày trắng 'white-eyebrowed water-fowl/chicken' (13)
Gallicrex
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Gallicrex cinerea	Watercock Water cock	董鸡 (董雞) dǒng-jī 'dong fowl/chicken'	(董鸡) 董雞 dǒng-jī 'dong fowl/chicken'		ツルクイナ (鶴秧鶏 ~ 鶴水鶏) tsuru-kuina 'crane rail' (kuina written 1. 'seedling-fowl/chicken' or 2. 'water-fowl/chicken', from Chinese)	뜸부기 tteumbugi 'rail'	Gà đồng 'dong fowl/chicken'
Porphyrio
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Porphyrio porphyrio	Purple swamphen Purple swamp hen Purple moorhen Sultan hen Purple coot Blue coot Swamp hen Purple gallinule	紫水鸡 (紫水雞) zǐ shuǐ-jī 'purple water-fowl/chicken'	(紫水鸡) 紫水雞 zǐ shuǐ-jī 'purple water-fowl/chicken'		セイケイ (青鶏) seikei 'blue/green fowl'		Chim Xít 'xit bird' (onomat.)
Gallinula
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Gallinula chloropus	Common moorhen Moorhen Common gallinule	黑水鸡 (黑水雞) hēi shuǐ-jī 'black water-fowl/chicken' or 红骨顶 (紅骨頂) hóng gǔ-dǐng 'red bone top' (Alternative in 1, 3, 5)	(红冠水鸡) 紅冠水雞 hóng-guān shuǐ-jī 'red-crested water-fowl/chicken'	小鷭 (小鷭) xiǎo fán 'small fan'	バン (鷭) ban 'coot'	쇠물닭 soe-mul-dalg 'small water-fowl/chicken'	Chim Kịch 'kịch bird'	Хажилгат ханчир khajilgat khaŋchir 'fringed (?) moorhen' Former official: Хажилгат түнжүүр khajilgat tüŋjüür 'fringed (?) rail'
Fulica
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Fulica atra	Common coot or Eurasian coot Black coot Coot	白骨顶 (白骨頂) bái gǔ-dǐng 'white bone top' or 骨顶鸡 (骨頂雞) gǔ-dǐng jī 'bone top fowl' (Alternative in 1, 3)	(白冠鸡) 白冠雞 bái-guān jī 'white-crested fowl'	大鷭 (大鷭) dà fán 'large fan' 水姑顶 (水姑頂) shuǐ gū dǐng 'water mother-in-law top' (North) 水姑丁 (水姑丁) shuǐ gū dīng 'water mother-in-law ding' (North) 冬鸡 (冬雞) dōng jī 'winter fowl' (South)	オオバン (大鷭) ō ban 'large coot'	물닭 mul-dalg 'water-fowl/chicken'	Chim Sâm cầm 'sâm cầm bird' (cầm = 'bird')	Халзан түнжүү khalzaŋ tüŋjüü 'bald-foreheaded rail (variant)' Former official: Халзан түнжүүр khalzaŋ tüŋjüür 'bald-foreheaded rail'

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