- Gruidae - 鶴科 -

General names

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

The Chinese term for 'crane' is 鶴 hè. Cranes are also known as 仙鶴 xiān-hè 'fairy cranes' (often used specifically for the Manchurian or Red-crowned Crane, Grus japonensis). Chinese has a rich and sometimes confusing variety of names for the cranes -- see alternative names in the table of species below.

Some Chinese and Japanese names relating to 'fairy cranes' refer to the Chinese legend that the crane carries an immortal or sage ('fairy') on its 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.

Species names

ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see)

SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			JAPANESE		OTHER
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Anthropoides
Anthropoides virgo Grus virgo	Demoiselle crane	簑羽鶴 suō yǔ hè 'raincoat feather crane'	蓑羽鶴 suō yǔ hè 'raincoat feather crane'	閨秀鶴 guī-xiù hè 'young lady (=demoiselle) crane'	アネハヅル (姉羽鶴) ane-ha-zuru 'big-sister feather crane'		쇠재두루미 soe-jae-durumi 'small jae crane'
Grus
Grus vipio	White-naped crane Japanese white-naped crane White-necked crane	白枕鶴 bái-zhěn hè 'white-naped crane'	白枕鶴 bái-zhěn hè 'white-naped crane'	紅面鶴 hóng-miàn hè 'red-faced crane'	マナヅル (真鶴) mana-zuru 'true crane'	タズ (田鶴) tazu 'paddy crane' (poetic)	재두루미 jae-durumi 'jae crane'
Grus grus	Common crane	灰鶴 huī-hè 'grey crane'	灰鶴 huī-hè 'grey crane'	玄鶴 xuán-hè 'dark crane' 倉庚 or 蒼庚 cānggēng 'canggeng' (also used for oriole) 鶬鴰 cāng-guā 'cang + crow' 番薯鶴 fānshǔ hè 'sweet potato crane'	クロヅル (黒鶴) kuro-zuru 'black crane'	ネズミヅル (鼠鶴) nezumi-zuru 'mouse crane'	검은목두루미 geomeun-mok-durumi 'black-necked crane'	Sếu cổ trắng 'white-necked crane'
Grus monacha	Hooded crane	白頭鶴 bái-tóu hè 'white-headed crane'	白頭鶴 bái-tóu hè 'white-headed crane'	青莊鶴 qīng zhuāng hè 'blue field (=blue heron) crane' 鍋鶴 guō hè 'pot crane' 玄鶴 xuán-hè 'dark crane'	ナベヅル (鍋鶴) nabe-zuru 'pot crane'		흑두루미 heuk-durumi 'black crane'
Grus japonensis	Red-crowned crane Manchurian crane Japanese crane	丹頂鶴 dān-dǐng hè 'red-capped crane'	丹頂鶴 dān-dǐng hè 'red-capped crane'	仙鶴 xiān-hè 'fairy crane'	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'	두루미 durumi 'crane'	Sếu Nhật Bản 'Japanese crane' Sếu đầu đỏ Nhật Bản 'Japanese red-headed crane' (from Internet cites list)

Gruidae / 鶴科 (Hè kē)

General names

Species names