General names
Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome.
The official modern Chinese name for the thrushes is 鶇 . Members of the genus Zoothera are referred to as 地鶇 'ground thrushes'. Those belonging to the genus Myophonus are called 嘯鶇 'whistling thrushes'.
The problem is that 鶇 doesn't seem to enjoy wide popular currency in Chinese. In most dictionaries, it is a word without a history -- modern dictionaries simply state that it refers to the Turdidae. There are no references to or citations from ancient sources. The character is not even listed in one large standard Chinese-English dictionary.
According to Japanese sources, in Classical Chinese the character 鶇 was traditionally used in the word 鶇鵛 , referring to the Wryneck. It was thus the Japanese who pressed the character 鶇 into service to write the Japanese word tsugumi, meaning 'thrush'. If this is correct, the use of 鶇 to refer to the thrushes in Chinese is actually an academic import from Japanese. This would go some way to explaining its scarcity in popular usage in Chinese.
So what were the thrushes called before this name was adopted? Dictionaries don't take us very far. However, we do find out that the modern 黑鶇 (Common Blackbird) was traditionally called the 百舌 or 'hundred tongues' because of its skill in mimicry. (Curiously, in Japanese the characters 百舌 are used to write the name of the shrikes.) Other names are 烏
('dark chun') or 烏鶺 ('dark fantail'), the second possibly an error for the first. is a rare character of unclear meaning and usage. The Kangxi Dictionary glosses it only as 'a kind of bird'.
In the popular realm, the Dusky Thrush is apparently eaten as a delicacy in China, and in this usage it is known as the 穿草雞 or 竄兒雞 , which suggest that it is a kind of chicken.
Recent splits (Zoothera aurea / Zoothera dauma and Turdus eunomus / Turdus naumanni) have caused some confusion in naming.
Species names
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
JAPANESE |
OTHER |
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| Myophonus | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Myophonus insularus Myiophoneus insularus  |
Taiwan whistling thrush Formosan whistling-thrush Formosan whistling thrush |
台灣紫嘯鶇 (台湾紫啸鸫) 'Taiwan purple whistling thrush' Taiwan former official: 紫嘯鶇 (紫啸鸫) 'purple whistling thrush' |
(台灣紫嘯鶇) 台湾紫啸鸫 'Taiwan purple whistling thrush' |
ルリチョウ (瑠璃鳥 ~ 琉璃鳥) ruri-chō 'lapis lazuli bird' |
| Myophonus caeruleus Myiophoneus caeruleus |
Blue whistling thrush Blue whistling-thrush Himalayan whistling thrush Violet whistling thrush |
白斑紫嘯鶇 (白斑紫啸鸫) 'white-striped purple whistling thrush' |
(紫嘯鶇) 紫啸鸫 'purple whistling thrush' |
鳴雞 (鸣鸡) 'calling fowl/chicken' 山鳴雞 (山鸣鸡) 'mountain calling fowl/chicken' 鳥精 (鸟精) 'bird spirit' |
オオルリチョウ (大瑠璃鳥 or 大琉璃鳥) ō ruri-chō 'large lapis lazuli bird' |
Chim Hoét xanh 'blue/green thrush (bird)' |
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| Zoothera | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Zoothera sibirica Turdus sibiricus |
Siberian thrush Siberian ground thrush |
白眉地鶇 (白眉地鸫) 'white-eyebrowed ground-thrush' |
(白眉地鶇) 白眉地鸫 'white-eyebrowed ground-thrush' |
マミジロ (眉白) mami-jiro 'white-eyebrow' |
マユシロ (眉白) mayu-shiro 'white-eyebrow' |
흰눈썹지빠귀 huin-nunsseop-jippagwi 'white-eyebrowed thrush' |
Chim Hoét Xibêri 'Siberian thrush (bird)' |
| Zoothera aurea | White's Thrush Golden mountain thrush White's ground thrush |
白氏地鶇 (白氏地鸫) 'Mr White's ground-thrush' |
(虎斑地鶇) 虎斑地鸫 'tiger-striped ground-thrush'  Taxonomy |
頓雞 (顿鸡) 'pausing fowl/chicken' (?) meaning unclear 大花麥鴓 (大花麦鴓) 'large-flower grain mie' See also Turdus pallidus 虎鶇 (虎鸫) 'tiger thrush' (former Taiwan official name for Zoothera dauma and Zoothera aurea) |
トラツグミ (虎鶇) tora tsugumi 'tiger thrush' |
ヌエドリ (鵼鳥) nue-dori 'nue bird ヌエ (鵼 ~ 鵺) nue 'nue ヌエコドリ (鵼子鳥) nueko-dori nueko bird |
호랑지빠귀 horang-jippagwi 'tiger-and-wolf thrush' |
Chim Sáo đất 'ground-starling (bird)' Taxonomy |
| Zoothera dauma Turdus dauma |
Scaly thrush or White's thrush |
虎斑地鶇 (虎斑地鸫) 'tiger-striped ground-thrush' |
(虎斑地鶇) 虎斑地鸫 'tiger-striped ground-thrush' Taxonomy |
虎鶇 (虎鸫) 'tiger thrush' (former Taiwan official name for Zoothera dauma and Zoothera aurea) |
コトラツグミ (小虎鶇) ko tora tsugumi 'small tiger thrush' Taxonomy |
Chim Sáo đất 'ground-starling (bird)' |
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| Turdus | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Turdus hortulorum |
Grey-backed thrush | 灰背鶇 (灰背鸫) 'grey-backed thrush' |
(灰背鶇) 灰背鸫 'grey-backed thrush' |
カラアカハラ (唐赤腹) kara aka-hara 'Chinese red belly' |
되지빠귀 doe-jippagwi 'doe thrush' |
Chim Hoét lưng đen 'black-backed thrush (bird)' (13) |
| Turdus cardis |
Japanese thrush Japanese grey thrush Grey thrush |
烏灰鶇 (乌灰鸫) 'black grey thrush' Taiwan former official: 灰鶇 (灰鸫) 'grey thrush' |
(烏灰鶇) 乌灰鸫 'black grey thrush' |
クロツグミ (黒鶇) kuro-tsugumi 'black thrush' |
검은지빠귀 geomeun-jippagwi 'black thrush' |
Chim Hoét bụng trắng 'white-bellied thrush (bird)' |
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| Turdus merula |
Eurasian blackbird or Common blackbird Blackbird Chinese Blackbird |
黑鶇 (黑鸫) 'black thrush' |
(烏鶇) 乌鸫 'black thrush' |
百舌 (百舌) 'hundred tongues' 反舌 (反舌) 'counter tongue' (bird 'talks back') 烏 (乌 )'dark chun' 烏鳥 (乌鸟) 'dark bird' 中國黑鶇 (中国黑鸫) 'Chinese black thrush' 烏鴣 (乌鸪) 'dark gu' |
クロウタドリ (黒歌鳥) kuro uta-dori 'black song-bird' |
ブラックバード burakku-bādo 'blackbird' (English) |
대륙검은지빠귀 daeryuk-geomeun-jippagwi 'continental black thrush' |
Chim Hoét đen 'black thrush (bird)' |
| Turdus poliocephalus |
Island thrush | 白頭鶇 (白头鸫) 'white-headed thrush' |
(島鶇) 岛鸫 'island thrush' |
タイワンツグミ (台湾鶇) taiwan tsugumi 'Taiwan thrush' |
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| Turdus obscurus |
Eyebrowed thrush Eye-browed thrush |
白眉鶇 (白眉鸫) 'white-eyebrowed thrush' |
(白眉鶇) 白眉鸫 'white-eyebrowed thrush' |
眉鶇 (眉鸫) 'eyebrowed thrush' (7) |
マミチャジナイ (眉茶  )mami cha-jinai 'eyebrowed brown shinai' |
흰눈썹붉은배지빠귀 huin-nunsseop-bulgeun-bae-jippagwi 'white-eyebrowed red-bellied thrush' |
Chim Hoét mày trắng 'white-eyebrowed thrush (bird)' |
|
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
| Turdus pallidus |
Pale thrush | 白腹鶇 (白腹鸫) 'white-bellied thrush' |
(白腹鶇) 白腹鸫 'white-bellied thrush' |
白眉鶇 (白眉鸫) 'white-eyebrowed thrush' 白眉白腹鶇 (白眉白腹鸫) 'white-eyebrowed white-bellied thrush' 灰頭鶇 (灰头鸫) 'grey-headed thrush' 灰頭穿草雞 (灰头穿草鸡) 'grey-headed through-grass fowl/chicken' (See T. naumanni below) 銀錠 (银锭) 'silver ingot' 白眉灰麥鴓 (白眉灰麦鴓) 'white-eyebrowed grey grain mie' (鴓 = warbler, see Phylloscopus coronatus, Anthus hodgsoni, Prinia flaviventris) See also Zoothera dauma |
シロハラ (白腹) shiro-hara 'white belly' |
흰배지빠귀 huin-bae-jippagwi 'white-bellied thrush' |
Hoét đầu xám 'grey-headed thrush (bird)' (13) |
|
| Turdus chrysolaus |
Brown-headed thrush Red-billed thrush Rufous-breasted thrush Brown thrush |
赤腹鶇 (赤腹鸫) 'red-bellied thrush' |
(赤胸鶇) 赤胸鸫 'red-breasted thrush' |
紅腹鶇 (红腹鸫) 'red-bellied thrush' (7) |
アカハラ (赤腹) aka-hara 'red belly' |
붉은배지빠귀 bulgeun-bae-jippagwi 'red-bellied thrush' |
Hoét nâu 'brown thrush (bird)' (13) |
|
| Turdus ruficollis |
Red-throated thrush Dark-throated thrush Red-necked thrush Black-throated thrush |
赤頸鶇 (赤颈鸫) 'red-collared thrush' |
(赤頸鶇) 赤颈鸫 'red-collared thrush' |
ノドグロツグミ (喉黒鶇) nodo-guro tsugumi 'black-throated thrush' |
붉은목지빠귀 bulgeun-mok-jippagwi 'red-throated thrush' |
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| Turdus naumanni |
Naumann's thrush | 紅尾鶇 (红尾鸫) 'red-tailed thrush' |
(紅尾鶇) 红尾鸫 'red-tailed thrush' (2) |
ハチジョウツグミ (八丈鶇) hachi-jō tsugumi 'Hachijo thrush' (Hachijo = island name) (Wikipedia) |
노랑지빠귀 norang-jippagwi 'yellow thrush' |
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| Turdus eunomusTaxonomy |
Dusky thrush | 斑點鶇 (斑点鸫) 'stripe-dotted thrush' |
(斑鶇) 斑鸫 'striped thrush' Taxonomy |
穿草雞 (穿草鸡) 'pass through grass fowl/chicken' 竄兒雞 (窜儿鸡) 'hiding /slinking away fowl/chicken' (meaning unclear) |
ツグミ (鶇) tsugumi 'thrush' |
シナイ ( )shinai 'shinai' (old word for thrush) |
개똥지빠귀 gaettong-jippagwi 'gaettong thrush' |
Chim Hoét lưng hung 'reddish backed thrush (bird)' Taxonomy |
| Brachypteryx | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
| Brachypteryx montana |
White-browed shortwing Blue shortwing |
小翼鶇 (小翼鸫) 'small-winged thrush' |
(藍短翅鶇) 蓝短翅鸫 'blue short-winged thrush' |
白眉短髈 (白眉短髈) 'white-eyebrowed short-wing' |
コバネヒタキ (小羽鶲) ko-bane hitaki 'small-winged flycatcher' |
Chim Hoét đuôi cụt xanh 'blue/green short-tailed thrush (bird)' |
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