Cuculidae
杜鵑科
dù-juān kē

General names

Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome.

There is considerable variety in names for the cuckoos in Chinese. The best known name is 杜鹃 dù-juān, generally used for cuckoos of the genus Cuculus. The character 鹃 juān is also used in combination for the official names of several cuculid species.

The Taiwanese official names preserve (or until recently preserved) some alternative names for the cuckoos, including 布穀 bùgǔ for the Common Cuckoo (now changed to 大杜鵑 dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo') and 郭公 guōgōng for Clamator. As is common in other languages, both of these names are onomatopaeic in nature.

A plethora of other names exists, both literary and colloquial in nature, including 子規 zǐ -guī, 杜宇 dù-yǔ, 催歸 cuī -guī ('urge return'), 思歸鳥 sī-guī-niǎo ('think of return bird'), 鶗鴂 or 鵜鴂 tíjué (an old name), 謝豹 xiè-bào ('thank leopard' ?), 自自黑儿 zì-zì-hēir or 子子黑儿 zǐ-zǐ-hēir (colloquial), and 喀咕 kēgū (kāgū?). The poetic name 蜀魂 shǔ-hún ('spirit of Shu') refers to a legend that the king of Shu (modern-day Sichuan), having failed to mitigate natural calamities, withdrew to the forests and bequeathed his soul to the cuckoo, which returns every year with its plaintive cries.

The coucals are popularly known in Chinese as 毛雞 máo-jī 'feathered-fowl/chicken'. The official name 番鵑 fān-juān 'foreign cuckoo', which despite its Chinese look is possibly from Japanese, reflects the identification with cuckoos. When Centropus sinensis was added to the list of Taiwanese birds, the Mainland name 褐翅鴉鵑 hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo' was adopted. As a result, Taiwan now officially uses two different names for the coucals, 番鵑 fān-juān and 鴉鵑 yā-juān. With the recent tendency for Taiwanese names to move closer to Mainland names, the odds are that 鴉鵑 yā-juān will win out eventually.

Some Japanese influence is discernible in the Taiwanese names. 郭公 guōgōng, although a name of Chinese origin, is used under Japanese influence. The curious word 番鵑 fān-juān is not obviously Japanese, being either a Chinese word borrowed into Japanese, or a Japanese word created on the basis of Chinese models. The only clearly Japanese word in the list is 筒鳥 tǒng-niǎo 'tube bird', which has now been discarded.

Species names

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CUCULINAE SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH CHINESE JAPANESE OTHER Clamator                 Latin English Chinese (Taiwan) Chinese (Mainland) Other Ch Japanese Other J Korean Vietnamese Clamator coromandus Chestnut-winged cuckoo Red-winged crested cuckoo 冠郭公 (冠郭公) guān guōgōng 'crested guogong' (onomat.) (紅翅鳳頭鵑) 红翅凤头鹃 hóng-chì fèng-tóu juān 'red-winged phoenix-headed cuckoo' 紅翅鳳頭郭公 (红翅凤头郭公) hóng-chì fèng-tóu guōgōng 'red-winged phoenix-headed guogong' (onomat.) (FS) カンムリカッコウ (冠郭公) kanmuri kakkō 'crested cuckoo' (onomat. 'cuckoo', characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')   밤색날개뻐꾸기 bamsaeng-nalgae-ppeokkugi 'chestnut-winged cuckoo' Chim Khát nước 'water thirsty (bird)' Cuculus                 Latin English Chinese (Taiwan) Chinese (Mainland) Other Ch Japanese Other J Korean Vietnamese Cuculus sparverioides Hierococcyx sparverioides Large hawk-cuckoo Large hawk cuckoo 鷹鵑 (鹰鹃) yīng-juān 'hawk cuckoo' (鷹鵑) 鹰鹃 yīng-juān 'hawk cuckoo' 鷹頭杜鵑 (鹰头杜鹃) yīng-tóu dùjuān 'hawk-headed cuckoo' (FS) 大鷹鵑 (大鹰鹃) dà yīng-juān 'large hawk cuckoo' (FS) 子規 (子规) zǐguī 'zigui' (FS) 佛鴂 (佛鴂) fójué 'buddhist jue' (FS) オオジュウイチ (大十一) ō jū-ichi 'large ju-ichi' (onomat.)   큰매사촌 keun-mae-sachon 'large hawk cousin' Chim Chèo chẹo lớn 'large chèo chẹo bird' Cuculus fugax Hierococcyx fugax Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo Fugitive hawk cuckoo 棕腹杜鵑 (棕腹杜鹃) zōng fù dù-juān 'reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' (棕腹杜鵑) 棕腹杜鹃 zōng fù dù-juān 'reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' 棕腹鷹鵑 (棕腹鹰鹃) zōng fù yīng-juān 'reddishbrown-bellied hawk-cuckoo' (FS) 小鷹鵑 (小鹰鹃) xiǎo yīng-juān 'small hawk-cuckoo' (FS) ジュウイチ (十一) jū-ichi 'ju-ichi' (onomat.), written 'eleven'     Chim Chèo chẹo nhỏ 'small chèo chẹo bird' Cuculus micropterus Indian cuckoo Short-winged cuckoo 四聲杜鵑 (四声杜鹃) sì-shēng dù-juān 'four-voiced cuckoo' (四聲杜鵑) 四声杜鹃 sì-shēng dù-juān 'four-voiced cuckoo' 布穀 (布谷) bùgǔ 'bùgǔ' (onomat.) 光棍好過 (光棍好过) guānggùn hǎo guò 'bachelor lives well' (FS) 光棍背鈕 (光棍背钮) guānggùn bèi niu 'bachelor back button ?' (onomat.) 關公好哭 (关公好哭) guānggōng hǎo kù 'Guangong cries a lot' (onomat.; Guangong is deified historical figure) (FS) 快快割麥 (快快割麦) kuài kuài gē mài 'hurry and reap the wheat' (onomat.) (FS) 家婆打我 (家婆打我) jiā-pó dǎ wǒ 'wife beats me' (onomat.) (Cantonese colloquial) (FS) 花喀咕 (花喀咕) huā kēgū (huā kāgū) 'flowery kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 印度喀咕 (印度喀咕) yìndù kēgū (yìndù kāgū) 'Indian kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 刮鍋 (刮锅) guā guō 'scrape pot' (onomat.) 豌豆八哥 (豌豆八哥) wān-dòu bāgē 'pea mynah' (FS) セグロカッコウ (背黒郭公) se-guro kakkō 'black-backed cuckoo' (onomat. 'cuckoo', characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')   검은등뻐꾸기 geomeun-deung-ppeokkugi 'black-backed cuckoo' (onomat.) Chim Bắt cô trói cột 'bắt cô trói cột (bird)' Cuculus canorus Common cuckoo or Eurasian cuckoo Cuckoo 大杜鵑 (大杜鹃) dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo' Taiwan former official: 布穀 (布谷) bùgǔ 'bùgǔ' (onomat.) (大杜鵑) 大杜鹃 dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo' 布穀鳥 (布谷鸟) bùgǔ-niǎo 'bùgǔ bird' (onomat.) 郭公 (郭公) guōgōng 'guōgōng' (onomat.) (characters mean 'city outer wall' + 'public') (FS) 杜鵑 (杜鹃) dùjuān 'cuckoo' 鳲鳩 (鸤鸠) shì jiū 'shi dove' (FS) 喀咕 (喀咕) kēgū (kāgū) 'kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) カッコウ (郭公) kakkō 'cuckoo'(onomat., characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public') カンコドリ (閑古鳥) kanko-dori 'kanko bird' (onomat.)(characters mean 'idle' + 'old') ガッポウドリ (合法鳥) gappō-dori 'gappo bird' (onomat., written 'accord with-the-law bird') カッコウドリ (郭公鳥) kakkō-dori 'cuckoo bird' (onomat.) See Hiraizumi 뻐꾸기 ppeokkugi 'cuckoo' (onomat.) Chim Cu cu 'cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Cuculus saturatus Himalayan cuckoo Oriental cuckoo 中杜鵑 (中杜鹃) zhōng dù-juān 'medium cuckoo' Taiwan former official: 筒鳥 (筒鸟) tǒng-niǎo 'tube bird' (中杜鵑) 中杜鹃 zhōng dù-juān 'medium cuckoo' 中喀咕 (中喀咕) zhōng kēgū (zhōng kāgū) 'medium kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 蓬蓬鳥 (蓬蓬鸟) péng-péng-niǎo 'dishevelled bird' (FS) 山郭公 (山郭公) shān guōgōng 'mountain guōgōng' (onomat.) (characters mean 'city outer wall' + 'public') (FS) ツツドリ (筒鳥) tsutsu-dori 'tube bird' (cry resembles sound of hitting a tube or pipe) ポンポンドリ (ぽんぽん鳥) ponpon-dori 'ponpon bird' (onomat.) See Hiraizumi 벙어리뻐꾸기 beongeori-ppeokkugi 'mute cuckoo' (onomat.) Chim Cu cu Phương đông 'oriental cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (13) Latin English Chinese (Taiwan) Chinese (Mainland) Other Ch Japanese Other J Korean Vietnamese Cuculus poliocephalus Lesser cuckoo Small cuckoo 小杜鵑 (小杜鹃) xiǎo dù-juān 'small cuckoo' (小杜鵑) 小杜鹃 xiǎo dù-juān 'small cuckoo' 小郭公 (小郭公) xiǎo guōgōng 'small guōgōng' (onomat.) (characters mean 'city outer wall' + 'public') (FS) 點燈捉虼蚤 (点灯捉虼蚤) diǎn-dēng gèzǎo 'light the lamp catch a flea' ' (onomat. 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public') (Sichuan dialect) (FS) ホトトギス (時鳥, 子規, 杜鵑, 不如帰, 郭公) hototogisu 'hototogisu' (written 1. 'time bird, 2. shiki (from Chinese), 3. token, from Chinese, 4. funyoki = better-go-back', 5. kakko, see Cuculus canorus above). アヤメドリ (文目鳥) ayame-dori 'fine pattern bird' イモセドリ (妹背鳥) imo-se-dori 'man and wife bird' (court women's language) タソガレドリ (黄昏鳥) tasogare-dori 'twilight bird' タマサカドリ (偶鳥) tamasaka-dori 'occasional bird' ウヅキドリ (卯月鳥) uzuki-dori 'fourth month bird' サナエドリ (早苗鳥) sanae-dori 'rice sprouts bird' カンノウチョウ (勧農鳥) kannō-chō 'promote agriculture bird' タマムカエドリ (魂迎え鳥) tama-mukae-dori 'spirit-greeting bird' (refers to a traditional custom of greeting returning spirits during summer) シデノタオサ (死出田長) shi-de no ta-osa 'king of the fields of the road to death' タオサドリ (田長鳥) ta-osa-dori 'king of the fields bird' トウ (杜宇) to-u 'to-u' (from Chinese) ショッコン (蜀魂) shokkon 'spirit of Shu' (ancient kingdom of China) シキ (子規) shiki 'shiki' (from Chinese) トケン (杜鵑) token 'token' (from Chinese) See Hiraizumi 두견이 dugyeoni 'dugyeoni' (from Chinese) Chim Cu cu nhỏ 'small cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Cacomantis                 Latin English Chinese (Taiwan) Chinese (Mainland) Other Ch Japanese Other J Korean Vietnamese Cacomantis merulinus Cuculus merulinus Plaintive cuckoo 八聲杜鵑 (八声杜鹃) bā-shēng dù-juān 'eight-voiced cuckoo' (八聲杜鵑) 八声杜鹃 bā-shēng dù-juān 'eight-voiced cuckoo' 八聲喀咕 (八声喀咕) bā-shēng kēgū (bā-shēng kāgū) 'eight-voiced kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 八聲悲鵑 (八声悲鹃) bā-shēng bēi-juān 'eight-voiced sad cuckoo' (FS) 紅嘴哀聲喀咕 (红嘴哀声喀咕) hóng-zuǐ āi-shēng kēgū (hóng-zuǐ āi-shēng kāgū) 'red-billed sad-voiced kegu/kagu' (onomat.) 哀杜鵑 (哀杜鹃) āi dù-juān 'sad cuckoo' (FS) ヒメカッコウ (姫郭公) hime kakkō 'princess cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')     Chim Tìm vịt 'tìm vịt bird' Surniculus                 Latin English Chinese (Taiwan) Chinese (Mainland) Other Ch Japanese Other J Korean Vietnamese Surniculus lugubris Asian drongo-cuckoo Drongo cuckoo Drongo-cuckoo 烏鵑 (乌鹃) wū-juān 'dark cuckoo' (烏鵑) 乌鹃 wū-juān 'dark cuckoo' 卷尾鵑 (卷尾鹃) juǎn-wěi-juān 'curl-tailed(=drongo) cuckoo' (FS) 烏喀咕 (乌喀咕) wū-kēgū (wū kāgū) 'dark (or crow) cuckoo' (FS) オウチュウカッコウ (烏秋郭公) ōchū kakkō 'drongo cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')   검은두견이 geomeun-dugyeoni 'black dugyeoni' (from Chinese) Chim Cu cu đen 'black cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Eudynamys                 Latin English Chinese (Taiwan) Chinese (Mainland) Other Ch Japanese Other J Korean Vietnamese Eudynamys scolopaceus Eudynamys scolopacea Common koel or Asian koel Koel 噪鵑 (噪鹃) zào-juān 'noisy cuckoo' (噪鵑) 噪鹃 zào-juān 'noisy cuckoo' 哥好雀 (哥好雀) gē hǎo què 'big-brother good sparrow' (literal) (FS) 婆好 (婆好) pó hǎo 'wife good' (Guangdong) (FS) 嫂鳥 (嫂鸟) sǎo-niǎo 'elder-brothers-wife bird' (Fujian) (FS) 鬼郭公 (鬼郭公) guǐ guōgōng 'ogre cuckoo' (onomat., 'cuckoo' characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public') (Taiwan) (FS) オニカッコウ (鬼郭公) oni kakkō 'ogre cuckoo' (onomat. 'cuckoo', characters mean = 'city outer wall' + 'public')   초록부리뻐꾸기 chorok-buri-ppeokkugi 'grass-green-billed cuckoo' (onomat.) or 쇠부엉이 soe-bueongi 'small bueongi (=long-eared owl)' Chim Tu hú 'tu hú bird' (onomat.)

CENTROPODINAE SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH CHINESE JAPANESE OTHER Centropus                 Latin English Chinese (Taiwan) Chinese (Mainland) Other Ch Japanese Other J Korean Vietnamese Centropus sinensis Greater coucal Common crow-pheasant Common coucal Crow-pheasant 褐翅鴉鵑 (褐翅鸦鹃) hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo' (褐翅鴉鵑) 褐翅鸦鹃 hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo' 毛雞 (毛鸡) máo-jī 'feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 大毛雞 (大毛鸡) dà máo-jī 'large feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 紅毛雞 (红毛鸡) hóng máo-jī 'red feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 大紅毛雞 (大红毛鸡) dà hóng máo-jī 'large red feathered-fowl/chicken' 黃峰 (黄峰) huáng fēng 'yellow peak' (FS) 烏鴉雉 (乌鸦雉) wū-yā-zhì 'crow pheasant' (FS) オオバンケン (大番鵑) ō ban-ken 'large foreign-cuckoo' (ban-ken is Chinese-style compound word)     Chim Bìm bịp lờn 'large bìm bịp bird' (onomat.) Centropus bengalensis Lesser coucal Lesser crow-pheasant 番鵑 (番鹃) fān-juān 'foreign cuckoo' (小鴉鵑) 小鸦鹃 xiǎo yā-juān 'small crow-cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 4) (印度小鴉鵑) 印度小鸦鹃 yìndù xiǎo yā-juān 'Indian small crow-cuckoo' (5) Taxonomy 小毛雞 (小毛鸡) xiǎo máo-jī 'small feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 小紅毛雞 (小红毛鸡) xiǎo hóng máo-jī 'small red feathered-fowl/chicken' 小黃峰 (小黄峰) xiǎo huáng fēng 'small yellow peak' (FS) 小鴉雉 (小鸦雉) xiǎo yā-zhì 'small crow pheasant' (FS) 小雉喀咕 (小雉喀咕) xiǎo zhì-kēgū (xiǎo zhì-kāgū) 'small pheasant-cuckoo' (FS) バンケン (番鵑) ban-ken 'foreign-cuckoo' (ban-ken is Chinese-style compound word)   쿠칼 kukar 'kukar' (from English 'coucal') Chim Bìm bịp nhỏ 'small bìm bịp bird' (onomat.)

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