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.
In everyday language, the broad term for all kinds of owl is フクロウ fukurō (occasionally フクロ fukuro), written with the character 梟. As an official species name フクロウ fukurō refers to Strix uralensis, the Ural Wood Owl.
More strictly, owls in Japanese can be divided into:
a) ズク zuku or ミミズク mimi-zuku eared zuku', which have 'ears' (耳 mimi), and
b) フクロウ fukurō, which do not.
This distinction is not absolute -- some 'earless' owls are also called mimi-zuku. Mimi-zuku most commonly refers to the Collared Scops Owl (ō ko-no-ha zuku 'large leaf owl').
The writing of mimi-zuku and zuku in Chinese characters is a convoluted affair.
1) They can be written with the characters 木兔 'tree-rabbit' (read mù-tù in modern Mandarin), an old Chinese name for the eared owls not found in modern Chinese dictionaries. While the meaning of the individual characters is 'tree-rabbit', the combination is apprehended as a single unit meaning 'eared owl', and can thus be read either zuku or mimi-zuku in Japanese.
2) To complicate matters, Japanese prefers to follow Classical Chinese usage and write 木菟. The difference is the addition of the 'grass' radical 艹 on top of 兔. In Classical Chinese this character was simply an alternative form of 兔. In modern Chinese, however, 菟 (read tù) is strictly used for the 'dodder', a kind of wiry herb that parasitises other plants, and is not used to mean 'rabbit'.
3) Another refinement is the addition of the 'bird' radical (鳥) to the right of 兔 in order to indicate that the 木兔 'tree-rabbit' is actually a type of bird. This results in the alternative form 木鵵 'tree owl'.
4) Since ミミ mimi (耳) quite transparently means 'ear' in Japanese, some prefer to write it separately. Thus, mimi-zuku becomes 耳木菟 'eared tree-rabbit'.
5) Two other character combinations can be used to write mimi-zuku: 鴟鵂 and 角鴟, both based on Chinese names. 鴟鵂 chīxiū is a name used for the owls in general; 角鴟 jiǎo-chī means 'horned-owl'. The character 鴟 chī originally meant 'hawk' in Chinese but is now used for 'owl'. (In Japanese it is traditionally read tobi meaning 'kite'.)
As a result, ズク zuku can be written 木菟, 木兔, 木鵵, 鴟鵂, or 角鴟. ミミズク mimi-zuku can theoretically be written 木菟, 木兔, 木鵵, 耳木菟, 耳木兔, 耳木鵵, 鴟鵂, or 角鴟.
Cultural:
In Japanese haiku, mimi-zuku or zuku (木菟) are season words for winter.
Species names
| STRIGINAE |
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
JAPANESE |
CHINESE |
KOREAN |
| Otus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
Otus bakkamoena
 |
Collared scops owl
Petit-duc à collier
Sunda-Zwergohreule
Ошейниковая совка |
オオコノハズク
(大木の葉木菟)
ō ko-no-ha zuku
'large tree-leaf zuku' |
|
领角鸮
(領角鴞)
lǐng jiǎo-xiāo
'collared horned-owl' |
(领角鸮)
領角鴞
lǐng jiǎo-xiāo
'collared horned-owl' |
毛脚鸺留
(毛腳樇鶹)
máo-jiǎo xiūliū
'hairy-legged owlet' (FS)
光足鸺留
(光足樇鶹)
guāng-zú xiūliū
'bare-legged owlet' (FS) |
큰소쩍새
keun-sojjeok-sae
'large sojjeok bird' |
Otus sunia
|
Oriental scops owl
Oriental scops-owl
Petit-duc d'Orient
Orient-Zwergohreule
Уссурийския совка
Буланая совка
|
コノハズク
(木の葉木菟)
ko-no-ha zuku
'tree-leaf zuku' |
|
红角鸮
(紅角鴞)
hóng jiǎo-xiāo
'red horned-owl' (, , , )
东方角鸮
(東方角鴞)
dōngfāng jiǎo-xiāo
'eastern horned-owl' () |
(东方角鸮)
東方角鴞
dōngfāng jiǎo-xiāo
'eastern horned-owl'
(角鸮)
角鴞
jiǎo-xiāo
'horned-owl' (former official name) |
棒槌雀
(棒槌雀)
bàngchuí què
'wooden club (=blockheaded) sparrow'
普通鸮
(普通鴞)
pǔtōng xiāo
'common owl'
夜猫子
(夜貓子)
yè māozi
'night-cat' (FS)
聒聒鸟子
(聒聒鳥子)
guō-guō-niǎo
'noisy bird' (northern) (FS) |
소쩍새
sojjeok-sae
'sojjeok bird' |
Otus elegans
|
Riukiu scops owl
Elegant scops-owl
Petit-duc élégant
Schmuckeule
Совка Рюкю |
リュウキュウコノハズク
(琉球木の葉木菟)
ryūkyū ko-no-ha zuku
'Ryukyu tree-leaf zuku' (from Internet) |
|
兰屿角鸮
(蘭嶼角鴞)
lányǔ jiǎo-xiāo
'Lanyu horned-owl' (, , )
琉球角鸮
(琉球角鴞)
liúqiú jiǎo-xiāo
'Ryukyu horned-owl' (, ) |
(兰屿角鸮)
蘭嶼角鴞
lányǔ jiǎo-xiāo
'Lanyu horned-owl' |
|
|
| Nyctea |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
Nyctea scandiaca
 Taxonomy
|
Snowy owl
Harfang des neiges
Schnee-Eule
Белая сова
Полярная сова |
シロフクロウ
(白梟)
shiro-fukurō
'white owl' |
|
雪鸮
(雪鴞)
xuě-xiāo
'snow owl' |
|
白夜猫子
(白夜貓子)
bái yè-māozi
'white night-cat'
白鸮
(白鴞)
bái xiāo
'white owl' (FS) |
흰올빼미
huin-olppaemi
'white owl' |
| Bubo |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
Bubo bubo
|
Eurasian eagle-owl
Northern eagle owl
Eagle owl
Great Eagle Owl
Grand-duc d'Europe
Uhu
Филин,
Обыкновенный филин |
ワシミミズク
(鷲木菟)
washi mimi-zuku
'eagle eared-zuku' |
|
鵰鸮
(鵰鴞)
diāo-xiāo
'eagle-owl' |
|
鹫鱼鸮
(鷲魚鴞)
jiù yú-xiāo
'eagle fish-owl' (鹫/鷲 is traditionally used for both eagles and vultures)
角鸱
(角鴟)
jiǎo-chī
'horned-owl' (FS)
怪鸱
(怪鴟)
guài-chī
'strange-owl' (FS)
老兔
(老兔)
lǎo-tù
'old rabbit' (FS)
恨狐
(恨狐)
hèn hú
'hate fox' (FS)
鹫兔鸟
(鷲兔鳥)
jiù-tù-niǎo
'eagle rabbit' (鹫/鷲 is traditionally used for both eagles and vultures)
鹫兔
(鷲兔)
jiù-tù
'eagle rabbit' (鹫/鷲 is traditionally used for both eagles and vultures) (FS) |
수리부엉이
suri-bueongi
'eagle bueongi' |
Bubo blakistoni
Ketupa blakistoni
|
Blakiston's eagle-owl
Blakiston's fish-owl
Blakiston's fish owl
Kétoupa de Blakiston
Riesenfischuhu
Рыбный филин |
シマフクロウ
(島梟)
shima fukurō
'island owl' or possibly 'striped owl' |
コタンクルカムイ
kotankuru-kamui
(Ainu word) |
毛脚渔鸮
(毛腳漁鴞)
máo-jiǎo yú-xiāo
'hair-footed fishing-owl' (, , , )
毛腿渔鸮
(毛腿漁鴞)
máo-tuǐ yú-xiāo
'hair-legged fishing-owl' () |
|
毛脚鱼鸮
(毛腳魚鴞)
máo-jiǎo yú-xiāo
'hair-footed fish-owl' (7)
巴君之鵰鸮
(巴君之鴞)
bā-jún zhī diāo-xiāo
'Bajun's eagle-owl' (Gee) (FS) |
|
| Strix |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
Strix uralensis
|
Ural owl
Ural wood owl
Chouette de l'Oural
Habichtskauz
Длиннохвостая неясыть,
Уралская неясыть |
フクロウ
(梟)
fukurō
'owl' |
|
长尾林鸮
(長尾林鴞)
cháng-wěi lín-xiāo
'long-tailed forest-owl' |
|
夜猫子
(夜貓子)
yè māozi
'night-cat'
满洲木鸮
(滿洲木鴞)
mǎnzhōu mù-xiāo
'Manchurian wood owl' (FS)
东方乌拉山枭
(東方烏拉山梟)
dōng-fāng wūlā-shān xiāo
'eastern Ural mountain owl' (FS) |
긴점박이올빼미
gin-jeombagi-olppaemi
'long dappled owl' |
|
| |
| SURNIINAE |
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
JAPANESE |
CHINESE |
KOREAN |
| Aegolius |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
Aegolius funereus
|
Boreal owl
or
Tengmalm's owl
Nyctale de Tengmalm
Rauhfußkauz
Мохноногий сыч |
キンメフクロウ
(金目梟)
kin-me fukurō
'gold-eyed owl' |
|
鬼鸮
(鬼鴞)
guǐ xiāo
'demon owl' |
|
|
|
| Ninox |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
Ninox scutulata
|
Brown hawk-owl
Brown hawk owl
or
Brown boobook
Northern Boobook
Ninoxe hirsute
Falkenkauz
бурая иглоногая |
アオバズク
(青葉木菟)
ao-ba zuku
'green-leaf zuku' |
|
鹰鸮
(鷹鴞)
yīng-xiāo
'hawk-owl' |
(褐鹰鸮)
褐鷹鴞
hè yīng-xiāo
'brown hawk-owl' |
酱色鹰鸮
(醬色鷹鴞)
jiàng-sè yīng-xiāo
'soy-coloured hawk-owl' (FS)
青叶鸮
(青葉鴞)
qīng-yè-xiāo
'green-leafed owl' (see Japanese) (FS)
乌猫王
(烏貓王)
wū-māo-wáng
'dark (or crow) cat king' (FS)
鹞形猫王
(鷂形貓王)
yào-xíng-māo-wáng
'sparrowhawk-shaped cat king' (FS) |
솔부엉이
sol-bueongi
'pine bueongi' |
|
| |
| ASIONINAE |
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
JAPANESE |
CHINESE |
KOREAN |
| Asio |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
Asio otus
|
Long-eared owl
Hibou moyen-duc
Waldohreule
Ушастая сова |
トラフズク
(虎斑木菟)
tora-fu zuku
'tiger-striped zuku' |
|
长耳鸮
(長耳鴞)
cháng-ěr xiāo
'long-eared owl' |
(长耳鸮)
長耳鴞
cháng-ěr xiāo
'long-eared owl' |
长耳猫头鹰
(長耳貓頭鷹)
cháng-ěr māo-tóu-yīng
'long-eared cat-headed hawk'
夜猫子
(夜貓子)
yè māozi
'night-cat'
长耳木兔
(長耳木兔)
cháng-ěr mù-tù
'long-eared tree-rabbit' (northern) (FS)
有耳麦猫王
(有耳麥貓王)
yǒu ěr mài māo-wáng
'eared grain cat king' (southern) (FS)
虎兔鸟
(虎兔鳥)
hǔ-tù-niǎo
'tiger rabbit bird'
虎鵵
(虎鵵)
hǔ-tù
'tiger owl' (character for tù indicates that the meaning is owl, not rabbit) (FS)
彪木兔
(彪木兔)
mù-tù
'tiger wood rabbit' (dict) (FS) |
칡부엉이
chirk-bueongi
'arrowroot (kudzu?) bueongi' |
Asio flammeus
|
Short-eared owl
Hibou des marais
Sumpfohreule
Болотная сова |
コミミズク
(小木菟)
ko mimi-zuku
'small eared-zuku' |
|
短耳鸮
(短耳鴞)
duǎn-ěr xiāo
'short-eared owl' |
(短耳鸮)
短耳鴞
duǎn-ěr xiāo
'short-eared owl' |
短耳猫头鹰
(短耳貓頭鷹)
duǎn-ěr māo-tóu-yīng
'short-eared cat-headed hawk' (FS)
小耳木兔
(小耳木兔)
xiǎo-ěr mù-tù
'small-eared tree-rabbit' (northern) (FS)
田猫王
(田貓王)
tián māo-wáng
'field cat king' (southern) (FS)
仓鸮
(倉鴞)
cāng-xiāo
'barn owl' (FS)
枭兔
(梟兔)
xiāo-tù
'owl-rabbit' (dict) (FS) |
쇠부엉이
soe-bueongi
'small bueongi' |
|
