General
Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Pinyin reflects Mandarin pronunciation; for some dialect names, it is no more than a polite fiction. Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.
China has 11 species of kingfisher, but only about half are widely distributed in heartland areas. The only alcedinid found across China is the Common Kingfisher. The halcyonid forms with wide distribution are the Ruddy, White-throated, and Black-capped Kingfishers. Both cerylid kingfishers are also widely distributed. The rest are confined to marginal zones such as Yunnan and (in some cases) Hainan.
The kingfishers were traditionally identified by the Chinese as a single group, as seen in the Compendium of Materia Medica (本草纲目 ) of the late Ming (first draft 1578), which places all kingfisher names under the heading 鱼狗 'fish dog'. The entry points out that there are both blue and speckled (or pied) white varieties. The assignment of names among the three kingfisher groups (halcyonid, alcedinid, and cerylid) is thus a modern development.
Chinese traditional names for the kingfishers can be grouped into three general types:
1. The distinctive ancient name of 鴗 (or 鴗鸟 'li bird'), found in the Erya (尔雅 ) of the 3rd century AD. This name is largely obsolete, although some attempts have been made to revive it for ornithological usage (see Other Names column in the tables).
2. Names relating to the plumage of the halcyonid and alcedinid kingfishers.
The ancient name 翡翠 (sometimes also seen in the form 翡翠鸟 ) refers to the iridescent blue and red feathers of the kingfishers, which were in the past prized for decoration and adornment. The name 翡翠 is made up of two parts: 翡 referring to red feathers and 翠 referring to blue feathers. The supply of feathers to the Chinese court was a result of trade (including international trade), and ancient sources are confused over the type or types of bird that supplied the feathers. The iridescent blue feathers became predominant and the technique of cutting and gluing the blue feathers in traditional ornamentation was known as 点翠 'dotting with kingfishers'.
The name 翡翠 was later extended to 'jadeite', a favourite precious stone of the Chinese, which in the imported Burmese variety came in green and red colours. As a result, 翡翠 is now usually identified in Chinese with the precious stone rather than the bird.
While 翡翠 is an ancient and elegant name, the most popular kingfisher name is now 翠鸟 , which means 'bluefeathered bird' (featuring the 翠 from 翡翠 ). This is the usual name of the widespread Common or River Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).
Chinese has a number of similar kingfisher names indicating colours, including 翠雀儿 'bluefeather sparrow', 赤羽雀 (literally 'red-feathered sparrow'), and 翠碧鸟 'bluefeather blue bird'.
3. Finally, Chinese has a group of names which pay tribute to the birds' prowess at catching fish. These include 鱼狗 'fish dog', 天狗 'heaven dog', 水狗 'water dog', 鱼虎 'fish tiger' and 鱼师 'fish master'. According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, birds bearing the name 鱼狗 'fish dog' were slightly smaller than those bearing the name 翡翠 'blue&red-feather'.
The last two sets of names were the usual names for kingfishers in early modern China. In order to fit modern ornithological naming, some adjustment was required.
Ornithological naming
With the split between the halcyonid, alcedinid, and cerylid subfamilies in modern times (culminating in a tendency to split them into three separate families), Chinese ornithologists were forced to come up with a way of distinguishing the three types in their naming.
For the Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), ornithologists deferred to the well-established popular name 翠鸟 'bluefeathered bird', furthermore extending the name to all of the alcedinid kingfishers.
For the visually quite distinct cerylid kingfishers, with their black and white coloration, the old name 鱼狗 'fish-dog' was adopted.
Finally, the ancient name 翡翠 was used for the halcyonid kingfishers, although traditionally the name is equally valid for the alcedinid kingfishers, with their red and blue plumage.
This naming is by no means completely entrenched. For example, Taiwanese names still use 翡翠 in cerylid kingfisher naming.
Glossing
With their multilayered history, the meanings of names like 翡翠 and 翠鸟 are difficult to capture with a simple gloss. For example, 翡翠 can be understood as meaning:
1. 'red&blue-feather' (based on the earliest etymological explanations). The structure of the Chinese characters 翡 and 翠 also suggest this feathered connection since both include the radical 羽 meaning 'feather').
2. As a totality, the name also meant 'kingfisher'.
3. The normal meaning of 翡翠 in modern Chinese is 'jadeite', a derived meaning that has almost completely obscured the original avian meaning.
4. The modern ornithologically restricted meaning is 'halcyonid kingfisher' (although pre-ornithological usage still survives in, for instance, Taiwanese naming).
Similarly, 翠鸟 can be understood as:
1. 'blue-feathered bird', based on the original meaning of 翠.
2. 'kingfisher bird' based on the intent of the name (i.e., 'bluefeather' interpreted as intended to mean 'kingfisher'.)
3. The modern ornithologically restricted meaning of 'alcedinid kingfisher'.
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE| ALCEDININAE | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
EAST |
SOUTH | NORTH |
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| Ceyx | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Ceyx erithaca Ceyx erithacus  |
East Asian dwarf kingfisher Three-toed kingfisher |
三趾翠鸟 (三趾翠鳥) 'three-toed kingfisher-bird' |
(三趾翠鸟) 三趾翠鳥 'three-toed kingfisher-bird' |
小黄鱼狗 (小黃魚狗) 'small yellow fish-dog' (FS) |
ミツユビカワセミ (三つ趾翡翠 ~ 三つ趾川蝉 ~ 三つ趾魚狗) mitsu-yubi kawa-semi 'three-toed river kingfisher1' |
Ceyx erithacus: Chim Bồng chanh đỏ 'red bồng chanh bird' (12, 34) |
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| Alcedo | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Alcedo meninting |
Blue-eared kingfisher | 蓝耳翠鸟 (藍耳翠鳥) 'blue-eared kingfisher-bird' |
ルリカワセミ (瑠璃翡翠 ~ 瑠璃川蝉 ~ 瑠璃魚狗 ~ 琉璃翡翠 ~ 琉璃川蝉 ~ 琉璃魚狗) ruri kawa-semi 'lapis lazuli river kingfisher1' |
Chim Bồng chanh tai xanh 'blue/green-eared bồng chanh bird' (12, 34) |
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| Alcedo hercules |
Blyth's kingfisher | 斑头大翠鸟 (斑頭大翠鳥) 'stripe-headed large kingfisher-bird' |
斑头大鱼狗 (斑頭大魚狗) 'stripe-headed large fish-dog' |
オオカワセミ (大翡翠 ~ 大川蝉 ~ 大魚狗) ō kawa-semi 'large river kingfisher1' |
Chim Bồng chanh rừng 'forest bồng chanh bird' (12, 13, 34) |
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| Alcedo atthis |
Common kingfisher River kingfisher |
普通翠鸟 (普通翠鳥) 'common kingfisher-bird' |
(翠鸟) 翠鳥 'kingfisher-bird' |
翡翠 (翡翠) 'kingfisher' 小翠鱼狗 (小翠魚狗) 'small kingfisher fish-dog' (FS) 小翠鸟 (小翠鳥) 'small kingfisher-bird' 翠鸟 (翠鳥) 'kingfisher-bird' (FS) 翠鸟儿 (翠鳥兒) 'kingfisher-bird' (31) 鱼狗 (魚狗) 'fish-dog' (FS) 小鱼狗 (小魚狗) 'small fish-dog' 天狗 (天狗) 'heaven dog' (FS) 水狗 (水狗) 'water dog' (FS) 水雀 (水雀) 'water sparrow' (FS) 翠雀儿 (翠雀兒) 'kingfisher sparrow' (northern) (FS) 钓鱼郎 (釣魚郎) 'fisherman' (FS) 打鱼郎 (打魚郎) 'fisherman' (FS) 金鸟仔 (金鳥仔) 'golden bird' (southern) (FS) 鱼虎 (魚虎) 'fish tiger' (Materia Medica) (FS) 翊 (翊) 'kingfisher' (literary) (FS) 鴗 (鴗) 'kingfisher' (old) 翠碧鸟 (翠碧鳥) 'kingfisher blue bird' 鱼师 (魚師) 'fisher' 翠奴 (翠奴) 'kingfisher fellow' 信天缘 (信天緣) 'believe heaven fate' (also used for albatross) 青翰 (青翰) 'green/blue feathers' 青庄 (青庄) 'green/blue fields' 青羽雀 (青羽雀) 'green/blue-feathered sparrow' 衔鱼翠鸟 (銜魚翠鳥) 'hold fish kingfisher-bird' |
カワセミ (翡翠 ~ 川蝉 ~ 魚狗) kawa-semi 'river kingfisher1' |
물총새 mul-chong-sae 'water chong bird' |
Chim Bồng chanh 'bồng chanh bird' (12, 13, 34) |
Номин шогшир ᠨᠣᠮᠢᠠ ᠱᠣᠭᠰᠢᠷ nomiŋ shogshir 'lapis lazuli shogshir' Inner M: Хөхөц ᠬᠦᠭᠡᠴᠦ khöxöts 'indigo (pigment)' (31, 32) |
| CERYLINAE | ||||||||
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
EAST |
SOUTH | NORTH |
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| Megaceryle | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Megaceryle lugubris Ceryle lugubris |
Crested kingfisher Greater pied kingfisher Crested pied kingfisher Pied kingfisher |
冠鱼狗 (冠魚狗) 'crested fish-dog' |
水葱花 (水葱花) 'water shallot-flower' 大啄鱼 (大啄魚) 'large fish-pecker' (FS) 斑鴗 'striped kingfisher' 花鱼狗 (花鱼狗) 'flowery fish-dog' (FS) 花钓鱼郎 (花釣魚郎) 'flowery fisherman' (FS) |
ヤマセミ (山翡翠 ~ 山魚狗) yama-semi 'mountain kingfisher1' |
뿔호반새 ppul-hoban-sae 'horned lakeside bird' |
Chim Bói cá lớn 'large bói cá bird' (cá = 'fish') (12, 13, 34) |
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| Ceryle | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Ceryle rudis |
Pied kingfisher Lesser pied kingfisher |
斑鱼狗 (斑魚狗) 'striped fish-dog' |
(斑翡翠) 斑翡翠 'striped kingfisher' |
小啄鱼 (小啄魚) 'small fish-pecker' (FS) 小花鱼狗 (小花魚狗) 'small flowery fish-dog' 花斑钓鱼郎 (花斑釣魚郎) 'flowery striped fisherman' (FS) |
ヒメヤマセミ (姫山翡翠 ~ 姫山魚狗) hime yama-semi 'princess mountain kingfisher1' |
Chim Bói cá nhỏ 'small bói cá bird' (cá = 'fish') (12, 13, 34) |
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| HALCYONINAE | ||||||||
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
EAST |
SOUTH |
NORTH |
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| Pelargopsis | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Pelargopsis capensis Halcyon capensis |
Stork-billed kingfisher | 鹳嘴翡翠 (鸛嘴翠鳥) 'stork-billed kingfisher' |
コウハシショウビン (鸛嘴翡翠) kō-hashi shōbin 'stork-billed kingfisher2' |
Chim Sả mỏ rộng 'large-billed halcyon bird' (12, 13) |
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| Halcyon | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Halcyon coromanda |
Ruddy kingfisher | 赤翡翠 (赤翡翠) 'red kingfisher' |
(赤翡翠) 赤翡翠 'red kingfisher |
アカショウビン (赤翡翠) aka shōbin 'red kingfisher2' |
호반새 hoban-sae 'lakeside (?) bird' |
Chim Sả hung 'reddish halcyon bird' (12, 13, 34) |
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| Halcyon smyrnensis |
White-throated kingfisher White-breasted kingfisher |
白胸翡翠 (白胸翡翠) 'white-breasted kingfisher' |
(苍翡翠) 蒼翡翠 'blue kingfisher |
鱼狗 (魚狗) 'fish-dog' (ornithologically used for Cerylid kingfishers) 白胸鱼狗 (白胸魚狗) 'white-breasted fish-dog' (FS) 鱼虎 (魚虎) 'fish tiger' (FS) 翠毛鸟 (翠毛鳥) 'kingfisher feather bird' (FS) 翠碧鸟 (翠碧鳥) 'kingfisher-blue-bird' (FS) 苍翡鸟 (蒼翡鳥) 'fly-kingfisher-bird' (FS) |
アオショウビン (青翡翠) ao shōbin 'blue/green kingfisher2' |
Chim Sả đầu nâu 'brown-headed halcyon bird' (12, 13, 34) |
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| Halcyon pileata |
Black-capped kingfisher | 蓝翡翠 (藍翡翠) 'blue kingfisher' |
(黑头翡翠) 黑頭翡翠 'black-headed kingfisher' |
蓝翠鸟 (藍翠鳥) 'blue kingfisher-bird' 蓝鱼狗 (藍魚狗) 'blue fish-dog' (FS) 蓝翠毛 (藍翠毛) 'blue kingfisher feather' (FS) 喜鹊翠 (喜鵲翠) 'magpie kingfisher' (northern) (FS) 黑顶鱼狗 (黑頂魚狗) 'black-topped fish-dog' (FS) 黑帽鱼狗 (黑帽魚狗) 'black-capped fish-dog' (FS) 秦椒鸟 (秦椒鳥) 'Qin pepper bird' (FS) 山鴗 (山鴗) 'mountain kingfisher' 山翊 (山翊) 'mountain kingfisher' (FS) |
ヤマショウビン (山翡翠) yama shōbin 'mountain kingfisher2' |
청호반새 cheong-hoban-sae 'blue lakeside-bird' |
Chim Sả đầu đen 'black-headed halcyon bird' (12, 13, 34) |
Хармагнай халуу ᠬᠠᠷᠠ ᠮᠠᠩᠨᠠᠢ ᠬᠠᠯᠣ khar-magnai khaluu 'black-foreheaded kingfisher' Inner M: Хөх Хөхөц ᠬᠦᠬᠡ ᠬᠦᠭᠡᠴᠦ khökh khöxöts 'darkblue indigo' (32) |
| Todiramphus | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
| Todiramphus chloris Todirhamphus chloris Halcyon chloris |
Collared kingfisher White-collared kingfisher |
白领翡翠 (白領翡翠) 'white-collared kingfisher' |
(白领翡翠) 白領翡翠 'white-collared kingfisher' |
白领翠鸟 (白領翠鳥) 'white-collared kingfisher-bird' |
ナンヨウショウビン (南洋翡翠) nan'yō shōbin 'south seas kingfisher2' |
Halcyon chloris (12): Chim Sả khoang cổ 'streak-necked halcyon bird' (12, 13) |
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According to one of China's earliest dictionaries, the 说文解字 Shuōwén jiězì from the Han dynasty (206 BC - AD 220), 翡翠 fěicuì combines the names of two birds: 翡 fěi or 赤羽雀 chì-yǔ què (literally 'red-feathered sparrow'), a type of red-feathered bird, and 翠 cuì or 青羽雀 qīng-yǔ què (literally 'green/blue-feathered sparrow'), a type of blue-feathered bird. On the other hand, the Compendium of Materia Medica offers the explanation that the colour is sexually determined, with the male mostly red and the female blue. However, the Compendium also gives the alternative explanation that the front of the bird is red and the back blue.
翡翠 fěicuì is an ancient name signifying 'red feathers' (翡) + 'blue feathers' (翠), for which certain kingfishers were prized. In modern times Chinese ornithologists have for mostly restricted the name 翡翠 fěicuì to the halcyonid kingfishers, although Taiwan still uses it for a cerylid kingfisher.
翠鸟 cuì-niǎo, literally 'bluefeather-bird', using the second character in 翡翠 fěicuì, is a long-standing general kingfisher name most closely associated with the widespread Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis. As a modern ornithological name it is also extended to other members of the genus Alcedo.
ショウビン shōbin is used ornithologically for the halcyonid kingfishers. All Japanese kingfisher names can be written 翡翠, a Chinese name for the kingfishers. In addition to ショウビン shōbin, 翡翠 can be read as カワセミ kawa-semi, ヒスイ hisui, and セミ semi (in the name ヤマセミ yama-semi only), all meaning 'kingfisher'. (To distinguish the names here, ショウビン shōbin is called 'kingfisher2'. セミ semi is 'kingfisher1'.)
カワセミ kawa-semi, literally 'river kingfisher', is used ornithologically for the alcedinid kingfishers. Traditionally written in at least three ways:
1. 翡翠, a Chinese name for the kingfishers, which may also be read as ショウビン shōbin, ヒスイ hisui, or (in ヤマセミ yama-semi 'mountain kingfisher') as セミ semi, all meaning 'kingfisher'. 2. 川蝉, literally 'river cicada', using the character for the homonymous word meaning 'cicada' (セミ semi). 3. 魚狗 'fish-dog', another Chinese name for the kingfishers. 1. and 3. both use a Chinese name as a whole to write カワセミ kawasemi. Neither thus contains an individual character representing 'river' (カワ kawa).
(To distinguish the names here, セミ semi is called 'kingfisher1' and ショウビン shōbin is 'kingfisher2')
ルリ ruri 'lapis lazuli' may be written two ways in Japanese: 瑠璃 or 琉璃.
ヤマセミ yama-semi, made up of ヤマ yama 'mountain' plus セミ semi 'kingfisher', is used ornithologically for the cerylid kingfishers. Traditionally written either 1. 山 'mountain' + 翡翠 'kingfisher' (the latter a Chinese word meaning 'kingfisher'), or 2. 山 'mountain' + 魚狗 'fish-dog' (the latter being another Chinese word for 'kingfisher'.) 翡翠 is also used to write the kingfisher names カワセミ kawa-semi, ショウビン shōbin and ヒスイ hisui. 魚狗 is also used to write the name カワセミ kawa-semi.
Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999
Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000
汉蒙名词术语分类词典（自然科学部分） Mongolian (Cyrillic): Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь (байгалийн шинжлэх ухааны бүлэг) (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary, natural sciences part) by 《汉蒙名词术语分类词典》编纂委员会 Mongolian (Cyrillic): "Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь" найруулах комисс (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary editorial committee), Inner Mongolian People's Press, Hohhot 1990
内蒙古动物志 (第三卷 鸟纲 非雀形目) Fauna Inner Mongolia (Volume 3 Aves Non-Passerines) 主编：旭日干 (Chief Editor: Xurigan), 内蒙古人大学版社 (Inner Mongolian University Press), Hohhot 2013
Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009
Floating Menu by Milonic |
Tool tips by Walter Zorn |
