General names
Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Species list may not be current. Korean glosses are only tentative. Comments and corrections welcome.
The Japanese word for 'crane' is ツル tsuru, written with the Chinese character 鶴. Tsuru becomes -zuru when combined with other words.
Older poetic names for the crane are:
- アシタズ ashi-ta-zu (written 葦田鶴 'reed paddy crane')
- タズ ta-zu (written 田鶴 'paddy crane').
- センカク senkaku, written 仙客 'fairy guest' -- otherwise a word for a 'hermit'.
Cultural:
The name 'fairy guest' refers to the Chinese legend that a 仙 sen (variously translated as immortal, sage or fairy) rides on a crane's 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.
The crane occurs in the expression 鶴の一声 tsuru no hito-koe 'one voice from the crane'. Unlike the feckless chattering of sparrows or other birds, one call from the crane is supposed to carry great authority. The expression is used in everyday life to refer to a person whose single command or request is sufficient to get things happening quickly and without fuss.
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see) SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
JAPANESE |
CHINESE |
KOREAN |
||||
| Anthropoides | |||||||
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
| Anthropoides virgo Grus virgo  |
Demoiselle crane Grue demoiselle Jungfernkranich Красавка |
アネハヅル (姉羽鶴) ane-ha-zuru 'big-sister feather crane' |
蓑羽鹤 (蓑羽鶴) 'raincoat feather crane' |
(蓑羽鹤) 簑羽鶴 'raincoat feather crane' |
闺秀鹤 (閨秀鶴) 'young lady (=demoiselle) crane' (FS) |
쇠재두루미 soe-jae-durumi 'small jae crane' |
|
| Grus | |||||||
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
| Grus leucogeranus |
Siberian crane Great white crane Siberian white crane Grue de Sibérie Schneekranich Стерх |
ソデグロヅル (袖黒鶴) sode-guro-zuru 'black-sleeved 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) |
시베리아흰두루미 Siberia-huin-durumi 'Siberian white crane' |
||
| Grus canadensis |
Sandhill crane Grue du Canada Kanadakranich Журавль Канадский |
カナダヅル (カナダ鶴) kanada-zuru 'Canadian 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) |
캐나다두루미 kaenada-durumi 'Canadian crane' |
||
| Grus vipio |
White-naped crane Japanese white-naped crane White-necked crane Grue à cou blanc Weißnackenkranich Даурский журавль |
マナヅル (真鶴) mana-zuru 'true crane' |
タズ (田鶴) tazu 'paddy crane' (poetic) |
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) |
재두루미 jae-durumi 'jae crane' |
| Grus grus |
Common crane Grue cendrée Kranich Серый журавль |
クロヅル (黒鶴) kuro-zuru 'black crane' |
ネズミヅル (鼠鶴) nezumi-zuru 'mouse 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) |
검은목두루미 geomeun-mok-durumi 'black-necked crane' |
| Grus monacha |
Hooded crane Grue moine Mönchskranich Черный журавль |
ナベヅル (鍋鶴) nabe-zuru 'pot 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) |
흑두루미 heuk-durumi 'black crane' |
|
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
| Grus japonensis |
Red-crowned crane Manchurian crane Japanese crane Grue du Japon Mandschurenkranich Японский журавль |
タンチョウ (丹頂) tanchō 'red-cap' |
タンチョウヅル (丹頂鶴) tanchō-zuru 'red-capped 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) |
두루미 durumi 'crane' |
