Anatidae
Họ Vịt

General names

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections are welcome.

Note on Vietnamese naming: With the exception of ducks and chickens, it is common for Vietnamese bird names to be preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird', although it is normally omitted in Vietnamese bird lists. All bird names, whether they include chim or not, can be preceded by the classifier con, which is used for living creatures.

The general Vietnamese word for 'duck' is Vịt. Wild ducks are known as Vịt trời 'wild duck' (scientifically referring specifically to Anas poecilorhyncha) or Vịt nước 'water duck'.

The teals are known as Chim két, Mòng két, and Ba kiếm. Other small ducks are known as Le, Le le, or Le te 'dirty smallduck'.

Another word for duck is Cạc.

Ngan originally referred to the now rare native species Asacornis scutulata (previously Cairina scutulata) but is now more normally used for Cairina moschata, a similar-looking but not closely related domesticated exotic. The domesticated Cairina moschata is somewhat larger than an ordinary domestic duck, has a crest on its head, and yields reddish meat.

The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) is known as Uyên ương, a borrowing from Chinese 鴛鴦 yuān-yang. In Vietnam, as in China, the Mandarin duck is a conventional symbol of marital devotion due to its occurrence in mating pairs.

Wild geese are known as Ngỗng (sometimes Ngổng) in Vietnamese. Another name for wild geese is Hồng (from Chinese 鴻 hóng). Domestic geese are known as Ngỗng, or more specifically Ngỗng nhà ('house/domestic geese').

In creating vernacular names, Vietnamese naturalists assign the names of anatid genera as follows:

Vietnamese has idioms involving ducks, including:

Như vịt nghe sấm 'like a duck listening to thunder' refers to 'stupefaction' or 'inability to understand a thing'.

Như nước đổ đầu vịt 'like pouring water on a duck's head' -- that is 'like water off a duck's back'.

Chữ Nôm

Characters used for anatids in the now obsolete Chu Nom characters include:

Name	Chu Nom Images from the Vietnamese Nôm Preservation Foundation dictionary. (Errors are the sole responsibility of the author of this site)
Le
Ngỗng	; ; (Chinese character)
Vịt	; ; ; (Chinese character)
Ngan	; ;
Uyên ương	(Chinese characters)
Mòng két	; (Chinese characters)

Species names

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DENDROCYGNINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Dendrocygna                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Dendrocygna javanica Lesser whistling duck Lesser whistling-duck Indian whistling duck Lesser treeduck Whistling teal Dendrocygne siffleur Le nâu 'brown smallduck' Chim le le 'smallduck bird' 栗树鸭 (梨樹鴨) lì shù-yā 'chestnut tree-duck' Taiwan: (树鸭) 樹鴨 shù-yā 'tree-duck' リュウキュウガモ (琉球鴨) ryūkyū-gamo 'Ryukyu wildduck' เป็ดแดง pèt-daeeŋ 'red duck' Burung Belibis 'treeduck (bird)' (26) Itik Belibis 'treefowl duck' (25) Burung Belibis Polos 'plain treefowl (bird)'

ANSERINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Anser                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Anser anser Greylag goose Oie cendrée Ngỗng trời 'sky goose' = 'wild goose'   灰雁 (灰雁) huī yàn 'grey wildgoose' Taiwan: (灰雁) 灰雁 huī yàn 'grey wildgoose' ハイイロガン (灰色雁) hai-iro gan 'grey-coloured wildgoose' ห่านเทาปากสีชมพู hàan tʰaw pàak-sĭi-cʰom-pʰuu 'pink-billed grey goose'     Anser indicus Bar-headed goose Oie à tête barrée Ngỗng Ấn Độ 'Indian goose'   斑头雁 (斑頭雁) bān-tóu yàn 'stripe-headed wildgoose' インドガン (インド雁) indo gan 'Indian wildgoose' ห่านหัวลาย hàan hŭa-laay 'stripe-headed goose'

TADORNINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Sarkidiornis                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Sarkidiornis melanotos Comb duck Nakta Canard à bosse Vịt mồng 'rainbow duck'   瘤鸭 (瘤鴨) liú yā 'lump duck' コブガモ (瘤鴨) kobu-gamo 'lump wildduck' เป็ดหงส์ pèt hŏŋ 'swan duck'     Tadorna                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Tadorna tadorna Common shelduck Shelduck Tadorne de Belon Vịt khoang 'spotted duck'   翘鼻麻鸭 (翹鼻麻鴨) qiáo-bí má-yā 'warped nose hemp-duck' Taiwan: (花凫) 花鳧 huā fú 'flowery wildduck' ツクシガモ (筑紫鴨) tsukushi-gamo 'Kyushu wildduck' เป็ดเชลดัก pèt cʰeen-dàk 'shelduck duck' (cʰeen-dàk from English 'shelduck')     Tadorna ferruginea Ruddy shelduck Tadorne casarca Vịt vàng 'yellow duck'   赤麻鸭 (赤麻鴨) chì má-yā 'red hemp-duck' Taiwan: (渎凫) 瀆鳧 dú fú 'ditch wildduck' アカツクシガモ (赤筑紫鴨) aka tsukushi-gamo 'red Kyushu wildduck' เป็ดพม่า pèt pʰa-mâa 'Burmese duck'

ANATINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Asacornis                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Asacornis scutulata Cairina scutulata White-winged duck White-winged wood duck Canard à ailes blanches Ngan cánh trắng 'white-winged woodduck' Taxonomy   白翅栖鸭 (白翅栖鴨 or 白翅棲鴨) bái-chì qī-yā 'white-winged roosting duck' ハジロモリガモ (羽白森鴨) ha-jiro mori-gamo 'white-winged forest wildduck' เป็ดก่า pèt kàa 'kàa duck' (onomat.) Taxonomy Serati Hutan 'forest woodduck' (24, 26) Itik Serati Hutan 'forest woodduck duck' (25) (Burung) Mentok Rimba 'jungle woodduck' Taxonomy Aix                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Aix galericulata Mandarin duck Mandarin Canard mandarin Uyên ương (= Chinese 鴛鴦 yuān-yang 'mandarinduck')   鸳鸯 (鴛鴦) yuān-yang 'mandarinduck' Taiwan: (鸳鸯) 鴛鴦 yuān-yang 'mandarinduck' オシドリ (鴛鴦) oshi-dori 'mandarinduck bird' (written with the characters used to write the Chinese name) เป็ดแมนดาริน pèt maeen-daa-rin 'mandarin duck' (maeen-daa-rin from English 'mandarin')     Nettapus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Nettapus coromandelianus Cotton teal or Indian pygmy-goose Cotton pygmy-goose Anserelle de Coromandel Le khoang cổ 'streak-necked smallduck'   棉凫 (棉鳧) mián fú 'cotton wildduck' Taiwan: (棉鸭) 棉鴨 mián yā 'cotton duck' ナンキンオシ (南京鴛鴦) nankin oshi 'Nanjing mandarinduck' เป็ดคับแค pèt kʰáp-kʰaee 'kʰáp-kʰaee duck' (onomat.?) Itik Kapas 'cotton duck' (24, 25, 26) or Itik Air 'water duck' (Alternative in 26) or Burung Belabas 'treeduck (bird)' (Alternative in 26) Trutu Hijau 'green pygmygoose' Anas                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Anas strepera Gadwall Canard chipeau Vịt cánh trắng 'white-winged duck'   赤膀鸭 (赤膀鴨) chì-bǎng yā 'red-winged duck' Taiwan: (赤膀鸭) 赤膀鴨 chì-bǎng yā 'red-winged duck' オカヨシガモ (丘葦鴨) oka yoshi-gamo 'hill reed-wildduck' เป็ดเทาก้นดำ pèt tʰaw kôn-dam 'black-vented grey duck'     Anas falcata Falcated teal or Falcated duck Canard à faucilles Vịt lưỡi liềm 'crescent duck'   罗纹鸭 (羅紋鴨) luó-wén yā 'whorl-patterned duck' Taiwan: (罗文鸭) 羅文鴨 luó-wén yā 'whorl-patterned duck' ヨシガモ (葦鴨) yoshi-gamo 'reed-wildduck' เป็ดเปียหน้าเขียว pèt pia nâa-kʰĭaw 'green-faced tufted (rear of head) duck'     Anas platyrhynchos Mallard Canard colvert Vịt cổ xanh 'blue/green-necked duck' Vịt mỏ vàng 'yellow-billed duck (bird)' (13) Vịt nước 'water duck' Le le 'teal' 绿头鸭 (綠頭鴨) lǜ-tóu yā 'green-headed duck' Taiwan: (绿头鸭) 綠頭鴨 lǜ-tóu yā 'green-headed duck' マガモ (真鴨) ma-gamo 'true wildduck' เป็ดหัวเขียว pèt hŭa-kʰĭaw 'green-headed duck'     Anas poecilorhyncha Anas poecilorhynchus Spot-billed duck Spotbill duck Yellow-nib duck Chinese spotbill Canard à bec tacheté Vịt trời 'sky duck' = 'wild duck'   斑嘴鸭 (斑嘴鴨) bān-zuǐ yā 'spot-billed duck' Taiwan: (花嘴鸭) 花嘴鴨 huā-zuǐ yā 'flowery-billed duck' カルガモ (軽鴨) karu-gamo 'light-wildduck' เป็ดเทา pèt tʰaw 'grey duck'     Anas clypeata Northern shoveller Shoveller Common shoveller Red shoveller Canard souchet Vịt mỏ thìa 'spoon-billed duck'   琵嘴鸭 (琵嘴鴨) pí-zuǐ yā 'spatula-billed duck' Taiwan: (琵嘴鸭) 琵嘴鴨 pí-zuǐ yā 'spatula-billed duck' ハシビロガモ (嘴広鴨) hashi-biro-gamo 'broad-billed wildduck' เป็ดปากพลั่ว pèt pàak-pʰlûa 'shovel-billed duck' Itik Paruh Sudu 'spoon-billed duck' (26) Itik Sudu 'spoon duck' (24) Itik Paruh Bajak 'plough-billed duck' (from shape of bill) (25)   Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Anas acuta Northern pintail Pintail Canard pilet Vịt mốc 'stake duck'   针尾鸭 (針尾鴨) zhēn-wěi yā 'needle-tailed duck' Taiwan: (尖尾鸭) 尖尾鴨 jiān-wěi yā 'sharp-tailed duck' オナガガモ (尾長鴨) o-naga-gamo 'long-tailed wildduck' เป็ดหางแหลม pèt hăaŋ-lăeem 'point-tailed duck' Itik Ekor Runcing 'sharp-tailed duck' (26) Itik Muara 'estuary duck' (24, 25) Itik Lancip 'acute duck' (tapering to a point) Anas querquedula Garganey Sarcelle d'été Mòng két mày trắng 'white-eyebrowed teal wild-duck'   白眉鸭 (白眉鴨) bái-méi yā 'white-eyebrowed duck' Taiwan: (白眉鸭) 白眉鴨 bái-méi yā 'white-eyebrowed duck' シマアジ (縞味, 島味) shima-aji 'striped aji' (written 'striped flavour' or 'island flavour'. 味 'flavour' is used solely for pronunciation. Also written with the specially created character 䳑 aji) เป็ดลาย pèt laay 'striped duck' Itik Garganey 'garganey duck' (garganey from English) (26) Itik Gargany 'garganey duck' (gargany from English, misspelt) (24) Itik Berkik 'snipe duck' (25) Itik Jurai 'bunchfringed duck' Anas formosa Baikal teal Vịt Bai can 'Baikal duck (bird)' (13)   花脸鸭 (花臉鴨) huā-liǎn yā 'flowery-faced duck' Taiwan: (巴鸭) 巴鴨 bā yā 'snakepatterned duck' トモエガモ (巴鴨) tomoe-gamo 'snakepatterned wildduck' เป็ดเปียหน้าเหลือง pèt pia nâa-lĕuaŋ 'yellow-faced tufted (rear of head) duck'     Anas crecca Common teal or Green-winged teal Teal Sarcelle d'hiver Mòng két 'teal wildduck' Chim két 'teal bird' Ba kiếm mùa đông 'winter ba kiem' 绿翅鸭 (綠翅鴨) lǜ-chì yā 'green-winged duck' Taiwan: (小水鸭) 小水鴨 xiǎo shuǐ-yā 'small water duck' コガモ (小鴨) ko-gamo 'small wildduck' เป็ดปีกเขียว pèt pìik-kʰĭaw 'green-winged duck' Itik Teal 'teal duck' (teal from English) (26) Itik Eropah 'European duck' (24, 25)   Aythya                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Aythya ferina Common pochard Fuligule milouin Vịt đầu đỏ 'red-headed duck'   红头潜鸭 (紅頭潛鴨) hóng-tóu qián-yā 'red-headed diving-duck' Taiwan: (红头潜鸭) 紅頭潛鴨 hóng-tóu qián-yā 'red-headed diving-duck' Taiwan former official: (矶雁) 磯雁 jī-yàn 'rocky-shore wildgoose' ホシハジロ (星羽白) hoshi ha-jiro 'starred white-wing' เป็ดโปช้าดหลังขาว pèt poocʰáat lăŋ-kʰăaw 'white-backed pochard duck' (poocʰáat from English 'pochard')     Aythya baeri Baer's pochard Fuligule de Baer Vịt đầu đen 'black-headed duck'   青头潜鸭 (青頭潛鴨) qīng-tóu qián-yā 'green/blue-headed diving-duck' Taiwan: (青头潜鸭) 青頭潛鴨 qīng-tóu qián-yā 'green/blue-headed diving-duck' アカハジロ (赤羽白) aka ha-jiro 'red white-wing' เป็ดดำหัวดำ pèt dam hŭa-dam 'black-headed black duck'     Aythya nyroca Ferruginous duck Ferruginous pochard White-eyed pochard Fuligule nyroca Vịt mặt trắng 'white-faced duck' Vịt mắt trắng 'white-eyed duck' (Found on some websites, e.g., here) Name   白眼潜鸭 (白眼潛鴨) bái-yǎn qián-yā 'white-eyed diving-duck' Taiwan: (白眼潜鸭) 白眼潛鴨 bái-yǎn qián-yā 'white-eyed diving duck' メジロガモ (目白鴨, 眼白鴨) me-jiro-gamo 'white-eyed wildduck' เป็ดดำหัวสีน้ำตาล pèt dam hŭa-sĭi-nám-taan 'brown-headed black duck'     Aythya fuligula Tufted duck Fuligule morillon Vịt mào 'crested duck'   凤头潜鸭 (鳳頭潛鴨) fèng-tóu qián-yā 'phoenix-headed diving-duck' Taiwan: (风头潜鸭) 鳳頭潛鴨 fèng-tóu qián-yā 'phoenix-headed diving-duck' Taiwan former official: (泽凫) 澤鳧 zé-fú 'swamp wildduck' キンクロハジロ (金黒羽白) kin-kuro ha-jiro 'gold-black white-wing' เป็ดเปีย pèt pia 'tufted (rear of head) duck' Itik Jambul 'crested duck' (24, 26) Itik Berjambul 'crested duck' (25) Kambangan Hitam 'black divingduck' Aythya marila Greater scaup Scaup duck Scaup Fuligule milouinan Vịt biển 'sea duck'   斑背潜鸭 (斑背潛鴨) bān-bèi qián-yā 'spot-backed diving-duck' Taiwan: (斑背潜鸭) 斑背潛鴨 bān-bèi qián-yā 'spot-backed diving-duck' Taiwan former official: (铃鸭) 鈴鴨 líng-yā 'bell duck' スズガモ (鈴鴨) suzu-gamo 'bell wildduck' เป็ดดำหลังขาว pèt dam lăŋ-kʰăaw 'white-backed black duck'     Mergus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Mergus squamatus Scaly-sided merganser Chinese merganser Harle de Chine Vịt mỏ nhọn 'sharp-billed duck'   中华秋沙鸭 (中華秋沙鴨) zhōnghuá qiūshā-yā 'Chinese autumn-sand duck' Taiwan: (唐秋沙) 唐秋沙 táng qiūshā 'Chinese autumn-sand' コウライアイサ (高麗秋沙) kōrai aisa 'Korean merganser' (written 'Korean autumn-sand') เป็ดปากยาวข้างลาย pèt pàak-yaaw kʰâaŋ-laay 'stripe-sided long-billed duck'

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