General names
The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections are welcome.
The Rallidae are known in Vietnamese by a number of names. The rails are known simply as Gà nước ('water fowl'). The crakes are known as Cuốc, which derives from their cry of cuoc cuoc during the summer months. Curiously, the crakes are also known as Đỗ quyên, from Chinese 杜鵑 meaning 'cuckoo'. Originally Đỗ quyên referred to the cuckoos in Vietnamese, but for some reason later came to be used for the crakes. The word Đỗ vũ, borrowed from Chinese 杜宇 and also originally meaning 'cuckoo', suffered the same fate.
Several species of rallids have their own individual names. Gà đồng, the name of the Water Cock, is related to the Chinese name 董雞 'dong fowl'. Sâm cầm refers to the Black Coot. The Moorhen is known as the Kịch (although this term is not listed in ordinary dictionaries). The Purple Swamp Hen is normally known as the Chim trích, although naturalists call it the Xít. Possibly Trích was passed over for fear of confusion with Chích 'warbler', which has the same pronunciation in the standard Hanoi dialect.
The names assigned by naturalists to rallid genera are as follows:
| Vietnamese name | Genera |
| Gà nước 'water fowl' |
Rails (Rallina, Gallirallus) One type of crake (Amaurornis phoenicurus) (as per Nguyen, Le and Phillipps) |
| Cuốc |
Crakes (Amaurornis, Porzana) |
| Gà đồng 'dong fowl' |
Water Cock (Gallicrex) |
| Sâm cầm |
Black Coot (Fulica) |
| Xít |
Purple Swamp Hen (Porphyrio) |
| Kịch |
Moorhen (Gallinula) |
Vietnamese has the expression Lủi như cuốc, 'Steal away like a crake', a reference to the quiet, secretive movements of these birds.
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see) 
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
VIETNAMESE |
EAST ASIAN |
S. E. ASIAN |
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Latin |
English/French |
Vietnamese |
Other V |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Thai |
Malay |
Indonesian |
| Rallina | ||||||||
Rallina fasciata |
Red-legged crake Red-legged banded crake Râle barré |
Gà nước họng nâu 'brown-throated water fowl' |
红腿斑秧鸡 'red-legged striped seedling-fowl' Taiwan: 紅腳秧雞 'red-legged seedling-fowl' Former Taiwan: 紅腿秧雞 'red-legged seedling-fowl' |
ナンヨウオオクイナ (南洋大秧鶏 or 南洋大水鶏) Nan-yō ō kuina 'southern seas large rail' |
นกอัญชันป่าขาแดง nók-an-chan bpàa kăa daeng 'red-legged forest crake' |
Sintar Api 'fire rail' |
Tikusan Ceruling 'ceruling tikusan' |
|
| Rallina eurizonoides |
Slaty-legged crake Banded crake Râle de forêt |
Gà nước họng trắng 'white-throated water fowl' |
白喉斑秧鸡 'white-throated striped seedling-fowl' Taiwan: 灰腳秧雞 'grey-legged seedling-fowl' Former Taiwan: 灰腿秧雞 'grey-legged seedling-fowl' |
オオクイナ (大秧鶏 or 大水鶏) ō kuina 'large rail' |
นกอัญชันป่าขาเทา nók-an-chan bpàa kăa tao 'grey-legged forest crake' |
Sintar Merah 'red rail' |
Tikusan Kaki-kelabu 'grey-legged tikusan' |
|
| Gallirallus | ||||||||
| Gallirallus striatus Rallus striatus |
Slaty-breasted rail Blue-breasted banded rail Banded rail Râle strié |
Gà nước vằn 'striped water fowl' |
灰胸秧鸡 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl' (2, 4) 蓝胸秧鸡 'blue-breasted seedling-fowl' (1, 3, 5) Taiwan: 灰胸秧雞 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl' |
ミナミクイナ (南秧鶏 or 南水鶏) minami kuina 'southern rail' |
นกอัญชันอกสีเทา nók-an-chan òk sĕe-tao 'grey-breasted crake' |
Sintar 'rail' |
Mandarpadi Sintar 'rail paddy mandar' |
|
| Rallus | ||||||||
| Rallus aquaticus Rallina aquatica |
Water rail Râle d'eau |
Gà nước Ấn Độ 'Indian water fowl' Gà nước 'water fowl' (13) |
普通秧鸡 'common seedling-fowl' Taiwan: 秧雞 'seedling-fowl' |
クイナ (秧鶏 or 水鶏) kuina 'rail' (written 'seedling fowl' or 'water fowl') |
นกอัญชันอกสีไพล nók-an-chan òk sĕe-plai 'plai?-coloured breasted crake' |
Sintar Air 'water rail' |
||
| Amaurornis | ||||||||
| Amaurornis akool | Brown crake Crimson-legged crake Râle akool |
Cuốc chân đỏ 'red-legged crake' |
红脚苦恶鸟 'red-legged ku-e bird' (ku-e is written 'bitter evil') Taiwan: 紅腳苦惡鳥 'red-legged ku-e bird' (ku-e is written 'bitter evil') |
チャバネクイナ (茶羽秧鶏 or 茶羽水鶏) cha-bane kuina 'brown-winged rail' |
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| Amaurornis phoenicurus |
White-breasted waterhen White-breasted water hen Râle à poitrine blanche |
Cuốc ngực trắng 'white-bellied crake' |
白胸苦恶鸟 'white-breasted ku-e bird' (ku-e is written 'bitter evil') Taiwan: 白腹秧雞 'white-bellied seedling-fowl' |
シロハラクイナ (白腹秧鶏 or 白腹水鶏) shiro-hara kuina 'white-bellied rail' |
นกกวัก nók-gwàk 'gwak bird' |
Ruak-Ruak 'white-white (literal)' |
Kareo Padi 'paddy kareo' |
|
Latin |
English/French |
Vietnamese |
Other V |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Thai |
Malay |
Indonesian |
| Porzana | ||||||||
| Porzana bicolor Amaurornis bicolor |
Black-tailed crake Elwes' crake Rufous-backed crake Râle bicolore |
Cuốc ngực xám 'grey-bellied crake' |
黑尾苦恶鸟 'black-tailed kue bird' (ku-e is written 'bitter evil') (2, 4) 棕背田鸡 'reddish-brown-backed field fowl' (1, 3, 5) |
オグロクイナ (尾黒秧鶏 or 尾黒水鶏) o-guro kuina 'black-tailed rail' |
นกอัญชันหางดำ nók-an-chan hăang dam 'black-tailed crake' |
|||
| Porzana pusilla |
Baillon's crake Marouette de Baillon |
Cuốc lùn 'dwarf crake' |
小田鸡 'small field fowl' Taiwan: 小秧雞 'small seedling-fowl' |
ヒメクイナ (姫水鶏 or 姫秧鶏) hime kuina 'princess rail' |
นกอัญชันเล็ก nók-an-chan lék 'small crake' |
Sintar Kecil 'small rail' |
Tikusan Kerdil 'dwarf tikusan' |
|
| Porzana fusca |
Ruddy-breasted crake Ruddy crake Marouette brune |
Cuốc ngực nâu 'brown-bellied crake' |
红胸田鸡 'red-breasted field fowl' Taiwan: 緋秧雞 'red seedling-fowl' |
ヒクイナ (緋秧鶏 or 緋水鶏) hi-kuina 'red rail' |
นกหนูแดง nók-nŏo-daeng 'red noo bird' |
Sintar Belacan 'belacan rail' |
Tikusan Merah 'red tikusan' |
|
| Porzana paykullii Rallina paykullii |
Band-bellied crake Chestnut-breasted crake Marouette mandarin |
Cuốc nâu 'brown crake' |
斑胁田鸡 'stripe-flanked field fowl' (1, 2, 4, 5) 斑肋田鸡 'stripe-ribbed field fowl' (3) Taiwan: 斑脇田雞 'stripe-flanked field fowl' |
コウライヒクイナ (高麗緋秧鶏 or 高麗緋水鶏) Kōrai hi-kuina 'Korean red rail' |
นกอัญชันจีน nók-an-chan jeen 'Chinese crake' |
Sintar Berjalur 'striped rail' |
Tikusan Siberia 'Siberian tikusan' |
|
| Porzana cinerea |
White-browed crake White-browed rail Marouette grise |
Gà nước mày trắng 'white-browed water fowl' (13) |
白眉田鸡 'white-browed field-fowl' (2, 4) 白眉秧鸡 'white-browed seedling-fowl' (3) 灰田鸡 'grey field-fowl' (5) Taiwan: 白眉秧雞 'white-browed seedling-fowl' |
マミジロクイナ (眉白秧鶏 or 眉白水鶏) mami-jiro-kuina 'white-browed rail' |
นกอัญชันคิ้วขาว nók-an-chan kíw kăao 'white-browed crake' |
Sintar Dahi Putih (Puteh) 'white-forehead rail' Sintar Kening Putih 'white-browed rail' |
Tikusan Alis-putih 'white-forehead tikusan' |
|
| Gallicrex | ||||||||
| Gallicrex cinerea |
Watercock Water cock Râle à crête |
Gà đồng 'dong fowl' |
董鸡 'dong fowl' Taiwan: 董雞 'dong fowl' |
ツルクイナ (鶴秧鶏 or 鶴水鶏) tsuru-kuina 'crane rail' |
นกอีลุ้ม nók-ee-lúm 'ee-lum bird' |
Ayam-ayam 'fowl-fowl' |
Mandar Bontod 'bontod mandar' |
|
| Porphyrio | ||||||||
| Porphyrio porphyrio |
Purple swamphen Purple swamp hen Purple moorhen Sultan hen Purple coot Blue coot Swamp hen Purple gallinule Talève sultane |
Xít 'xit' |
Chim trích 'trich bird' |
紫水鸡 'purple water fowl' Taiwan: 紫水雞 'purple water fowl' |
セイケイ (青鶏) seikei 'blue fowl' |
นกอีโก้ง nók-ee-gôhng 'ee-gohng bird' |
Pangling 'pangling' |
Mandar Besar 'large mandar' |
| Gallinula | ||||||||
| Gallinula chloropus |
Common moorhen Moorhen Common gallinule Gallinule poule-d'eau |
Kịch 'kich' |
黑水鸡 'black water fowl' or 红骨顶 'red bone top' (Alternative in 1, 3, 5) Taiwan: 紅冠水雞 'red-crested water fowl' |
バン (鷭) ban 'ban' |
นกอีล้ำ nók-ee-lám 'ee-lum bird' |
Tiong Air 'water tiong' |
Mandar Batu 'slaty mandar' |
|
| Fulica | ||||||||
| Fulica atra |
Common coot or Eurasian coot Black coot Coot Foulque macroule |
Sâm cầm 'sam cam' ('cam' = 'bird') |
白骨顶 'white bone top' or 骨顶鸡 'bone top fowl' (Alternative in 1, 3) Taiwan: 白冠雞 'white-crested fowl' |
オオバン (大鷭) ō ban 'large ban' |
นกคู้ต nók-kóo-dtor 'koo-dtor bird' |
Pangling Hitam 'black pangling' |
Mandar Hitam 'black mandar' |
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Latin |
English/French |
Vietnamese |
Other V |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Thai |
Malay |
Indonesian |
Floating Menu by Milonic |
Tool tips by Walter Zorn |
