General
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There is considerable variety in names for the cuckoos in Chinese. In Taiwan the best known name is 布穀 , which, like many cuckoo names, is onomatopoeic in origin. Until recently this was the ornithological name for the Common Cuckoo.
However, ornithological naming in Chinese favours the term 杜鹃 for the cuckoos (genus Cuculus), although in Taiwan it's more widely understood as the name of the azalea. The second character in this word, 鹃 , is used in combination to create the ornithological names of several cuculid species.
Another cuckoo name, also onomatopoeic, is 郭公 , which is used for the genus Clamator.
In addition to these, a plethora of other names exists, both literary and colloquial, including 子規 , 杜宇 , 催歸 'urge return', 思歸鳥 'think of return bird', 鶗鴂 or 鵜鴂 (an old name), 謝豹 'thank leopard' ?, 自自黑儿 or 子子黑儿 (colloquial), and 喀咕 (?). The poetic name 蜀魂 ('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 'feathered-fowl/chicken'. The ornithological name 番鵑 'foreign cuckoo', which despite its Chinese look is from Japanese, more clearly reflects an identification with cuckoos. When Centropus sinensis was added to the list of Taiwanese birds, the Mainland name 褐翅鴉鵑 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo' was adopted. As a result, Taiwan now ornithologically uses two different names for the coucals: 番鵑 and 鴉鵑 .
Some Japanese influence is discernible in Taiwanese names. 郭公 , although of Chinese origin, has been influenced by Japanese usage. The word 番鵑 is also from Japanese, although it is possibly 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 'tube bird', which has now been discarded.
Species names
| CENTROPODINAE | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
JAPANESE |
OTHER |
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| CENTROPODINI | ||||||||
| 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) 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo' |
(褐翅鴉鵑) 褐翅鸦鹃 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo' |
毛雞 (毛鸡) 'feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 大毛雞 (大毛鸡) 'large feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 紅毛雞 (红毛鸡) 'red feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 大紅毛雞 (大红毛鸡) 'large red feathered-fowl/chicken' 黃峰 (黄峰) 'yellow peak' (FS) 烏鴉雉 (乌鸦雉) '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 coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
||
| Centropus bengalensis |
Lesser coucal Lesser crow-pheasant |
番鵑 (番鹃) 'foreign cuckoo' |
(小鴉鵑) 小鸦鹃 'small crow-cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 4) (印度小鴉鵑) 印度小鸦鹃 'Indian small crow-cuckoo' (5)  Taxonomy |
小毛雞 (小毛鸡) 'small feathered-fowl/chicken' (FS) 小紅毛雞 (小红毛鸡) 'small red feathered-fowl/chicken' 小黃峰 (小黄峰) 'small yellow peak' (FS) 小鴉雉 (小鸦雉) 'small crow pheasant' (FS) 小雉喀咕 (小雉喀咕) () '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 coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
|
| CUCULINAE | ||||||||
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
JAPANESE |
OTHER |
|||||
| PHAENICOPHAEINI | ||||||||
| 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) 'crested guogong' (onomat.) |
(紅翅鳳頭鵑) 红翅凤头鹃 'red-winged phoenix-headed cuckoo' |
紅翅鳳頭郭公 (红翅凤头郭公) '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)' (probably onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
|
| CUCULINI | ||||||||
| Eudynamys | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
| Eudynamys scolopaceus Eudynamys scolopacea |
Common koel Asian koel Koel |
噪鵑 (噪鹃) 'noisy cuckoo' |
(噪鵑) 噪鹃 'noisy cuckoo' |
哥好雀 (哥好雀) 'big-brother good sparrow' (literal) (FS) 婆好 (婆好) 'wife is good' (Guangdong) (FS) 嫂鳥 (嫂鸟) 'elder-brothers-wife bird' (Fujian) (FS) 鬼郭公 (鬼郭公) '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 'green-billed cuckoo' (onomat.) or 검은뻐꾸기 geomeun-ppeokkugi 'black cuckoo' (onomat.) |
Chim Tu hú 'tu hú bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
|
| 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) 'eight-voiced cuckoo' |
(八聲杜鵑) 八声杜鹃 'eight-voiced cuckoo' |
八聲喀咕 (八声喀咕) () 'eight-voiced kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 八聲悲鵑 (八声悲鹃) 'eight-voiced sad cuckoo' (FS) 紅嘴哀聲喀咕 (红嘴哀声喀咕) () 'red-billed sad-voiced kegu/kagu' (onomat.) 哀杜鵑 (哀杜鹃) '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' (12, 13, 34) |
||
| Surniculus | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
| Surniculus lugubris |
Drongo Cuckoo Asian Drongo-Cuckoo Drongo-cuckoo |
烏鵑 (乌鹃) 'dark cuckoo' |
(烏鵑) 乌鹃 'dark cuckoo' |
卷尾鵑 (卷尾鹃) 'curl-tailed(=drongo) cuckoo' (FS) 烏喀咕 (乌喀咕) () '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' (dugyeoni from Chinese 杜鹃) |
Chim Cu cu đen 'black cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
|
| Hierococcyx | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
| Hierococcyx sparverioides Cuculus sparverioides |
Large Hawk Cuckoo Large Hawk-cuckoo |
鷹鵑 (鹰鹃) 'hawk cuckoo' |
(鷹鵑) 鹰鹃 'hawk cuckoo' |
鷹頭杜鵑 (鹰头杜鹃) 'hawk-headed cuckoo' (FS) 大鷹鵑 (大鹰鹃) 'large hawk cuckoo' (FS) 子規 (子规) 'zigui' (FS) 佛鴂 (佛鴂) 'buddhist jue' (FS) 大鷹喀咕 (大鹰咯咕) 'large hawk cuckoo' |
オオジュウイチ (大十一) ō jū-ichi 'large ju-ichi' (onomat.) |
큰매사촌 keun-mae-sachon 'large hawk cousin' |
Cuculus sparverioides (12, 34): Chim Chèo chẹo lớn 'large chèo chẹo bird' (12, 13, 34) |
|
| Hierococcyx nisicolor | Whistling Hawk Cuckoo Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo |
棕腹杜鵑 (棕腹杜鹃) 'reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' |
(棕腹杜鵑) 棕腹杜鹃 'reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' |
棕腹鷹鵑 (棕腹鹰鹃) 'reddishbrown-bellied hawk-cuckoo' (FS) 小鷹鵑 (小鹰鹃) 'small hawk-cuckoo' (FS) |
ジュウイチ (十一) jū-ichi 'ju-ichi' (onomat.), written 'eleven' |
Cuculus fugax (12): Chim Chèo chẹo nhỏ 'small chèo chẹo bird' (12, 13) |
||
| Hierococcyx hyperythrus Cuculus hyperythrus |
Northern Hawk-cuckoo Rufous Hawk-Cuckoo |
(北方杜鹃) 北方鷹鵑 'northern hawk-cuckoo' |
北棕腹杜鹃 (北棕腹杜鵑) 'north reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' (2) |
キタジュウイチ (北十一) kita jū-ichi 'north ju-ichi' (onomat.), written 'eleven' |
매사촌 mae-sachon 'hawk cousin' |
Cuculus hyperythrus: Cu cu Bắc Bộ 'northern cuckoo' (34) |
||
| Cuculus | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
| Cuculus micropterus |
Indian cuckoo Short-winged cuckoo |
四聲杜鵑 (四声杜鹃) 'four-voiced cuckoo' |
(四聲杜鵑) 四声杜鹃 'four-voiced cuckoo' |
布穀 (布谷) 'bùgǔ' (onomat.) 光棍好過 (光棍好过) 'bachelor lives well' (FS) 光棍背鈕 (光棍背钮) 'bachelor back button ?' (onomat.) 關公好哭 (关公好哭) 'Guangong cries a lot' (onomat.; Guangong is deified historical figure) (FS) 快快割麥 (快快割麦) 'hurry and reap the wheat' (onomat.) (FS) 家婆打我 (家婆打我) 'wife beats me' (onomat.) (Cantonese colloquial) (FS) 花喀咕 (花喀咕) () 'flowery kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 印度喀咕 (印度喀咕) () 'Indian kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 刮鍋 (刮锅) 'scrape pot' (onomat.) 豌豆八哥 (豌豆八哥) 'pea myna' (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)' (12, 13, 34) |
|
| Cuculus canorus |
Common cuckoo Eurasian cuckoo Cuckoo |
大杜鵑 (大杜鹃) 'large cuckoo' |
(大杜鵑) 大杜鹃 'large cuckoo' |
Taiwan formerly: 布穀 (布谷) 'bùgǔ' (onomat.) (31) 布穀鳥 (布谷鸟) 'bùgǔ bird' (onomat.) 郭公 (郭公) 'guōgōng' (onomat.) (characters mean 'city outer wall' + 'public') (FS) 杜鵑 (杜鹃) 'cuckoo' 鳲鳩 (鸤鸠) 'shi dove' (FS) 喀咕 (喀咕) () '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.) (12, 13, 34) |
| Cuculus optatus | East Asian Cuckoo Horsfield's Cuckoo |
(北方中杜鹃) 北方中杜鵑 'northern medium cuckoo' |
霍氏中杜鹃 (霍氏中杜鵑) 'Mr Huo's (=Horsfield) medium cuckoo' (Avibase) |
ツツドリ (筒鳥) tsutsu-dori 'tube bird' (cry resembles sound of hitting a tube or pipe) (shared with Cuculus saturatus) |
벙어리뻐꾸기 beongeori-ppeokkugi 'mute cuckoo' (onomat.)(Avibase) (shared with Cuculus saturatus) |
Chim Cu cu phương đông 'East Asian cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (34) (shared with Cuculus saturatus) |
||
| Cuculus saturatus |
Himalayan cuckoo East Asian cuckoo |
中杜鵑 (中杜鹃) 'medium cuckoo' |
(中杜鵑) 中杜鹃 'medium cuckoo' |
Taiwan formerly: 筒鳥 (筒鸟) 'tube bird' 中喀咕 (中喀咕) () 'medium kegu/kagu' (onomat.) (FS) 蓬蓬鳥 (蓬蓬鸟) 'dishevelled bird' (FS) 山郭公 (山郭公) '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) (shared with Cuculus optatus) |
ポンポンドリ (ぽんぽん鳥) ponpon-dori 'ponpon bird' (onomat.) See Hiraizumi |
벙어리뻐꾸기 beongeori-ppeokkugi 'mute cuckoo' (onomat.) (shared with Cuculus optatus) |
Chim Cu cu Himalaya 'Himalayan cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (34) |
| Cuculus poliocephalus |
Lesser cuckoo Small cuckoo |
小杜鵑 (小杜鹃) 'small cuckoo' |
(小杜鵑) 小杜鹃 'small cuckoo' |
小郭公 (小郭公) 'small guōgōng' (onomat.) (characters mean 'city outer wall' + 'public') (FS) 點燈捉虼蚤 (点灯捉虼蚤) 'light the lamp catch a flea' (onomat.) (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.) (12, 13, 34) |
中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全（修订版） 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000
中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005
中国鸟类野外手册（中文版）约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯，合作者：荷芬奇，翻译：卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000
世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002
世界鸟类名称（拉丁文、汉文、英文对照）第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002
中国鸟类分布名录 第二版 郑作新 科学出版社 北京 1976年
(Checklist of the Classification of Birds of China 2nd edition by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 1976)
香港及華南鳥類（第六版）（翻譯成中文及重新修訂） 尹璉、費嘉倫、林超英 香港性徵特區政府新聞處政府印務局 1994年
Birds of Hong Kong and South China (6th edition, translated into Chinese and newly revised) by Clive Viney, Karen Phillipps, Lin Chaoying, Hong Kong Govt. Press 1994
Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999
Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000
汉蒙名词术语分类词典（自然科学部分） Mongolian (Cyrillic): Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь (байгалийн шинжлэх ухааны бүлэг) (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary, natural sciences part) by 《汉蒙名词术语分类词典》编纂委员会 Mongolian (Cyrillic): "Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь" найруулах комисс (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary editorial committee), Inner Mongolian People's Press, Hohhot 1990
Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009
Floating Menu by Milonic |
Tool tips by Walter Zorn |
