General names
Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome.
The Chinese term for swallows in general is 燕 , but does not usually occur as a word on its own. The most common type of swallow, Hirundo rustica, is known as a 燕子 .
The word 燕 is an archetypal bird name in Chinese, being found as part of the names of numerous other birds, including the brambling, pratincoles, and terns. The swallow is a bird symbolic of feminine grace and beauty. 趙飛燕 (literally 'flying swallow Zhao') was an empress of the Han dynasty famed to this day for her slender beauty. 燕 is still frequently used in girls' names in China.
There are a number of expressions containing the word 燕 , including:
- 燕雀安置鴻鵠之志 'how could a sparrow understand the ambitions of the swan' (a lowly person cannot read the mind of a great man)
- 燕雀處堂 'swallows and sparrows nesting in the hall' (unaware of the spreading blaze) -- i.e., to be unaware of imminent danger.
- 夫婦燕好 'husband and wife as good swallows' i.e., connubial bliss.
- 燕語鶯声 'swallow speech oriole voice' -- scenes of spring with cheerfully chirping birds, now more likely to be used for the sweet charming voices of girls.
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see) | HIRUNDININAE | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
JAPANESE |
OTHER |
|||||
| Riparia | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Riparia paludicola | Plain martin Brown-throated sand martin African sand martin |
棕沙燕 (棕沙燕) 'reddishbrown sand-swallow' |
(褐喉沙燕) 褐喉沙燕 'brown throated sand-swallow' |
タイワンショウドウツバメ (台湾小洞燕) taiwan shōdō tsubame 'Taiwan small hole swallow' |
Chim Nhạn nâu đỏ 'red brown swallow (bird)' |
Riparia riparia |
Collared sand martin Sand martin Bank swallow |
灰沙燕 (灰沙燕) 'grey sand-swallow' |
(崖沙燕) 崖沙燕 'cliff sand-swallow' |
沙燕 (沙燕) 'sand-swallow' 水燕子 (水燕子) 'water swallow' 土燕子 (土燕子) 'earth swallow' (also used for pratincoles) |
ショウドウツバメ (小洞燕) shōdō tsubame 'small hole swallow' |
갈색제비 gal-saek-jebi 'brown-coloured swallow' |
Chim Nhạn nâu xám 'grey brown swallow (bird)' |
|
| Hirundo | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Hirundo rustica |
Barn swallow House swallow Swallow |
家燕 (家燕) 'house swallow' |
(家燕) 家燕 'house swallow' |
燕子 (燕子) 'swallow' 拙燕 (拙燕) 'clumsy swallow' |
ツバメ (燕) tsubame 'swallow' |
제비 jebi 'swallow' |
Chim Nhạn bụng trắng 'white-bellied swallow (bird)' |
| Hirundo tahitica |
Pacific swallow | 洋燕 (洋燕) 'ocean swallow' |
(洋燕) 洋燕 'ocean swallow' (2, 4, 5) (洋斑燕) 洋斑燕 'ocean striped swallow' (1, 3) |
リュウキュウツバメ (琉球燕) ryūkyū tsubame 'Ryukyu swallow' |
Chim Nhạn đuôi đen 'black-tailed swallow (bird)' |
|||
| Delichon | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Delichon dasypus |
Asian house martin Asian house-martin |
東方毛腳燕 (东方毛脚燕) 'eastern hair-legged swallow' |
(煙腹毛腳燕) 烟腹毛脚燕 'smoky-bellied hair-legged swallow' |
イワツバメ (岩燕) iwa-tsubame 'rock-swallow' |
흰털발제비 huin-teol-bal-jebi 'white hair-legged swallow' |
Chim Nhạn hông trắng Á châu 'Asian white-rumped swallow (bird)' |
| Cecropis | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Cecropis daurica Hirundo daurica |
Red-rumped swallow Golden-rumped swallow |
金腰燕 (金腰燕) 'gold-rumped swallow' |
(金腰燕) 金腰燕 'gold-rumped swallow' |
巧燕 (巧燕) 'skilful swallow' |
コシアカツバメ (腰赤燕) koshi-aka tsubame 'red-rumped swallow' |
귀제비 gwi-jebi 'returning? swallow' |
Chim Nhạn bụng xám 'grey-bellied swallow' |
| Cecropis striolata Hirundo striolata |
Striated swallow Greater striated swallow |
赤腰燕 (赤腰燕) 'red-rumped swallow' |
(斑腰燕) 斑腰燕 'stripe-rumped swallow' |
オオコシアカツバメ (大腰赤燕) ō koshi-aka tsubame 'large red-rumped swallow' |
Chim Nhạn bụng vằn 'striped bellied swallow' |
|||
