Rallidae
秧鸡科
yāng-jī kē

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.

The general name for the rails in Chinese is 秧鸡 yāng-jī. 秧 yāng means 'seedling'; 鸡 jī means 'fowl/chicken' or 'fowl'. This term has a respectable history and is found in the Ming-era Compendium of Chinese Materia Medica.

Other names for members of the Rallidae include:

田鸡 tián-jī 'paddy-fowl/chicken', used for various crakes (although the most familiar interpretation for the average Chinese is 'frog meat', which is what it means on Chinese menus).

苦恶鸟 kǔ-è-niǎo 'bitter evil bird' (origin unknown, probably onomatopoeic), used for the White-breasted Waterhen and several other species.

水鸡 'water-fowl/chicken' shuǐ-jī, used for the Purple Swamp Hen, the Water Rail, and the Moorhen.

The Moorhen and the Coot are interesting for the variety of names used.

The Moorhen Gallinula chloropus is known as 黑水鸡 hēi shuǐ-jī 'black water-fowl/chicken' or 红骨顶 hóng gǔ-dǐng 'red bone top'. Taiwan uses as its ornithological name 红冠水鸡 hóng-guān shuǐ-jī 'red-crested water-fowl/chicken'.

The Black Coot Fulica atra is known as the 骨顶鸡 gǔ dǐng jī 'bone top fowl/chicken' or 白骨顶 bái gǔ-dǐng 'white bone top', the latter a North Chinese term. 白冠鸡 bái-guān jī 'white-crested fowl/chicken' is used in Taiwan.

Both the Moorhen and the Black Coot are also known as 鷭 fán, which appears to be a Japanese borrowing.

Regularisation

The use of names by Mainland ornithologists at Porzana and Amaurornis has been regularised (somewhat confused by differences or changes in generic assignments). Taiwanese usage is shown for reference.

2. Species names

ABOUT THIS TABLE

RALLINAE
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			EAST		SOUTH	NORTH
Rallina
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Rallina eurizonoides	Slaty-legged crake Banded crake	白喉斑秧鸡 (白喉斑秧雞) bái-hóu bān yāng-jī 'white-throated striped seedling-fowl/chicken'	(灰脚秧鸡) 灰腳秧雞 huī-jiǎo yāng-jī 'grey-legged seedling-fowl/chicken' Taiwan formerly: 灰腿秧鸡 (灰腿秧雞) huī-tuǐ yāng-jī 'grey-legged seedling-fowl/chicken'		オオクイナ (大秧鶏 ~ 大水鶏) ō kuina 'large rail'		Gà nước họng trắng 'white-throated water-fowl/chicken' (12, 13, 34)
Coturnicops
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Coturnicops exquisitus Porzana exquisita	Swinhoe's rail Swinhoe's crake Swinhoe's yellow rail	Porzana exquisita: 花田鸡 (花田雞) huā tián-jī 'flowery paddy-fowl/chicken'		小翅田鸡 (小翅田雞) xiǎo-chì tián-jī 'small-winged paddy-fowl/chicken'	Porzana exquisita: シマクイナ (縞秧鶏 ~ 縞水鶏) shima kuina 'striped rail'	알락뜸부기 allak-tteumbugi 'spotted rail'		Porzana exquisita: Бичилхэн түнжгэр ᠪᠢᠴᠢᠯᠬᠡᠨ ᠲᠦᠨᠵᠢᠭᠡᠷ bichilkheŋ tüŋjger 'small rail (variant form)' Inner M: Цагаан далавчит ханчир ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠳᠠᠯᠠᠪᠴᠢᠲᠣ ᠬᠠᠨᠴᠢᠷ tsagaaŋ dalavchit khanchir 'white-winged rail' (32)
Rallus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Rallus aquaticus Rallina aquatica	Western Water Rail	普通秧鸡 (普通秧雞) pǔtōng yāng-jī 'common seedling-fowl/chicken' Rallus aquaticus korejevi: 新疆亚种 (新疆亞種) xīnjiāng yàzhǒng 'Xinjiang subspecies' (1)			クイナ (秧鶏 ~ 水鶏) kuina 'rail' (Shared with Rallus indicus)
Rallus indicus	Eastern Water Rail Brown-cheeked Rail	Rallus aquaticus: 普通秧鸡 (普通秧雞) pǔtōng yāng-jī 'common seedling-fowl/chicken' Rallus aquaticus indicus: 东北亚种 (東北亞種) dōng-běi yàzhǒng 'Northeastern (Manchurian) subspecies' (1)	(秧鸡) 秧雞 yāng-jī 'seedling-fowl/chicken'	秋鸡 (秋雞) qiū-jī 'autumn fowl/chicken' 水鸡 (水雞) shuǐ-jī 'water-fowl/chicken'	Rallus aquaticus: クイナ (秧鶏 ~ 水鶏) kuina 'rail' (Shared with Rallus aquaticus)	흰눈썹뜸부기 huin-nunsseop-tteumbugi 'white-eyebrowed rail'	Rallus aquaticus: Gà nước Ấn Độ 'Indian water-fowl/chicken' (12, 34)	Rallus aquaticus: Усны түнжүүр ᠣᠰᠣᠨ ᠤ ᠲᠦᠨᠵᠢᠭᠦᠷ usni tüŋjüür 'water rail' Inner M: Rallus aquaticus: Ханчир ᠬᠠᠨᠴᠢᠷ khanchir 'rail' (31, 32)
Lewinia
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Lewinia striata Gallirallus striatus Rallus striatus	Slaty-breasted rail Blue-breasted banded rail Banded rail	Gallirallus striatus: 灰胸秧鸡 (灰胸秧雞) huī-xiōng yāng-jī 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (2, 4) 蓝胸秧鸡 (藍胸秧雞) lán-xiōng yāng-jī 'blue-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (1, 3, 5)	Gallirallus striatus: (灰胸秧鸡) 灰胸秧雞 huī-xiōng yāng-jī 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken'		Gallirallus striatus: ミナミクイナ (南秧鶏 ~ 南水鶏) minami kuina 'southern rail'		Gallirallus striatus: Gà nước vằn 'striped water-fowl/chicken' (12, 13, 34)
Crex
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Crex crex	Corncrake Corn crake	长脚秧鸡 (長腳秧雞) cháng-jiǎo yāng-jī 'long-legged seedling-fowl/chicken'			ウズラクイナ (鶉秧鶏 ~ 鶉水鶏) uzura kuina 'quail rail'			Явган түнжин ᠶᠠᠪᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠲᠦᠨᠵᠢᠨ yavgaŋ tüŋjiŋ 'walking rail (variant form)'
Porzana
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Porzana porzana	Spotted crake	斑胸田鸡 (斑胸田雞) bān-xiōng tián-jī 'stripe-breasted paddy-fowl/chicken'	(斑胸田鸡) 斑胸田雞 bān-xiōng tián-jī 'stripe-breasted paddy-fowl/chicken'		コモンクイナ (小紋水鶏 ~ 小紋秧鶏) komon kuina 'fine-patterned rail'			Тоодон түнжгэр ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠳᠣᠩ ᠲᠦᠨᠵᠢᠭᠡᠷ toodoŋ tünjger 'short rail (variant form)'
Zapornia
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Zapornia fusca Porzana fusca	Ruddy-breasted crake Ruddy crake	Porzana fusca: 红胸田鸡 (紅胸田雞) hóng-xiōng tián-jī 'red-breasted paddy-fowl/chicken'	Porzana fusca: (绯秧鸡) 緋秧雞 fēi yāng-jī 'scarlet seedling-fowl/chicken'		Porzana fusca: ヒクイナ (緋秧鶏 ~ 緋水鶏) hi-kuina 'scarlet rail'	Porzana fusca: 쇠뜸부기사촌 soe-tteumbugi-sachon 'small rail cousin'	Porzana fusca: Chim Cuốc ngực nâu 'brown-breasted crake' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
Zapornia paykullii Porzana paykullii Rallina paykullii	Band-bellied crake Chestnut-breasted crake	Porzana paykullii: 斑胁田鸡 (斑脇田雞) bān-xié tián-jī 'stripe-flanked paddy-fowl/chicken' (1, 2, 4, 5) 斑肋田鸡 (斑肋田雞) bān-lèi tián-jī 'stripe-ribbed paddy-fowl/chicken' (3)	Porzana paykullii: (斑胁田鸡) 斑脇田雞 bān-xié tián-jī 'stripe-flanked paddy-fowl/chicken'	斑田鸡 (斑田雞) bān tián-jī 'striped paddy-fowl/chicken'	Porzana paykullii: コウライヒクイナ (高麗緋秧鶏 ~ 高麗緋水鶏) kōrai hi-kuina 'Korean scarlet rail'	Porzana paykullii: 한국뜸부기 hanguk-tteumbugi 'Korean rail'	Rallina (Porzana) paykullii: Chim Cuốc nâu 'brown crake (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
Zapornia parva Porzana parva	Little crake	Porzana parva: 姬田鸡 (姬田雞) jī tián-jī 'lady paddy-fowl/chicken'			Porzana parva: コクイナ (小秧鶏 ~ 小水鶏) ko kuina 'small rail'
Zapornia pusilla Porzana pusilla	Baillon's crake	Porzana pusilla: 小田鸡 (小田雞) xiǎo tián-jī 'small paddy-fowl/chicken'	Porzana pusilla: (小秧鸡) 小秧雞 xiǎo yāng-jī 'small seedling-fowl/chicken'		Porzana pusilla: ヒメクイナ (姫水鶏 ~ 姫秧鶏) hime kuina 'princess rail'	Porzana pusilla: 쇠뜸부기 soe-tteumbugi 'small rail'	Porzana pusilla: Chim Cuốc lùn 'dwarf crake (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)	Porzana pusilla: Оодон түнжгэр ᠣᠭᠣᠳᠣᠩ ᠲᠦᠨᠵᠢᠭᠡᠷ oodoŋ tünjger 'short rail (variant form)' Inner M: Бяцхан ханчир ᠪᠢᠴᠢᠬᠠᠨ ᠬᠠᠨᠴᠢᠷ byatskhan khanchir 'little rail' (31, 32)
Zapornia bicolor Porzana bicolor Amaurornis bicolor	Black-tailed crake Elwes' crake Rufous-backed crake	Porzana bicolor: 黑尾苦恶鸟 (黑尾苦惡鳥) hēi-wěi kǔ-è-niǎo 'black-tailed kǔ-è bird' (onomat. kǔ-èis written 'bitter evil') (2, 4) 棕背田鸡 (棕背田雞) zōng-bèi tián-jī 'reddishbrown-backed paddy-fowl/chicken' (1, 3, 5)			Amaurornis bicolor: オグロクイナ (尾黒秧鶏 ~ 尾黒水鶏) o-guro kuina 'black-tailed rail'		Amaurornis bicolor: Chim Cuốc ngực xám 'grey-breasted crake (bird)' (onomat.) (12)
Amaurornis
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Amaurornis akool	Brown crake Crimson-legged crake	红脚苦恶鸟 (紅腳苦惡鳥) hóng-jiǎo kǔ-è-niǎo 'red-legged kǔ-è bird' (onomat.)	(红脚苦恶鸟) 紅腳苦惡鳥 hóng-jiǎo kǔ-è-niǎo 'red-legged kǔ-è bird' (onomat.)		チャバネクイナ (茶羽秧鶏 ~ 茶羽水鶏) cha-bane kuina 'brown-winged rail'		Chim Cuốc chân đỏ 'red-legged crake (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
Amaurornis phoenicurus	White-breasted waterhen White-breasted water hen	白胸苦恶鸟 (白胸苦惡鳥) bái-xiōng kǔ-è-niǎo 'white-breasted kǔ-è bird' (onomat.)	(白腹秧鸡) 白腹秧雞 bái-fù yāng-jī 'white-bellied seedling-fowl/chicken'	白胸秧鸡 (白胸秧雞) bái-xiōng yāng-jī 'white-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (7, 31) 苦恶鸟 (苦惡鳥) kǔ-è-niǎo 'kǔ-è bird' (onomat.) 苦娃子 (苦娃子) kǔwāzi 'kuwazi' (onomat.) 白脸秧鸡 (白臉秧雞) bái-liǎn yāng-jī 'white-faced seedling-fowl/chicken' 白面鸡 (白面雞) bái-miàn-jī 'white-faced fowl' 白胸黑水鸡 (白胸黑水雞) bái-xiōng hēi shuǐ-jī 'white-breasted black water-fowl/chicken' (='white-breasted moorhen') 姑恶鸡 (姑惡雞) gū-è-jī 'mother-in-law evil fowl' (gū-è onomat.)	シロハラクイナ (白腹秧鶏 ~ 白腹水鶏) shiro-hara kuina 'white-bellied rail'	흰배뜸부기 huin-bae-tteumbugi 'white-bellied rail'	Chim Cuốc ngực trắng 'white-breasted crake (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)	Цагааномруут түнжүүхэй ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠣᠮᠣᠷᠣᠣᠲᠣ ᠲᠦᠨᠵᠦᠭᠡᠬᠡᠢ tsagaaŋ-omruut tüŋjüükhei 'white-bellied rail (variant form)' Inner M: Шалбаа ханчир ᠱᠠᠯᠪᠠ ᠬᠠᠨᠴᠢᠷ shalbaa khanchir 'marsh rail' (31) or Тарач ᠲᠠᠷᠠᠴᠢ tarach 'waterhen' (alt in 31)
Amaurornis cinerea Porzana cinerea Poliolimnas cinereus	White-browed crake White-browed rail	Porzana cinerea: 白眉田鸡 (白眉田雞) bái-méi tián-jī 'white-eyebrowed paddy-fowl/chicken' (2, 4) 白眉秧鸡 (白眉秧雞) bái-méi yāng-jī 'white-eyebrowed seedling-fowl/chicken' (3) 灰田鸡 (灰田雞) huī tián-jī 'grey paddy-fowl/chicken' (5)	Porzana cinerea: (白眉秧鸡) 白眉秧雞 bái-méi yāng-jī 'white-eyebrowed seedling-fowl/chicken'		Poliolimnas cinereus: マミジロクイナ (眉白秧鶏 ~ 眉白水鶏) mami-jiro-kuina 'white-eyebrowed rail'		Porzana cinerea: Gà nước mày trắng 'white-eyebrowed water-fowl/chicken' (13)
Gallicrex
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Gallicrex cinerea	Watercock Water cock	董鸡 (董雞) dǒng-jī 'dong fowl/chicken'	(董鸡) 董雞 dǒng-jī 'dong fowl/chicken'		ツルクイナ (鶴秧鶏 ~ 鶴水鶏) tsuru-kuina 'crane rail'	뜸부기 tteumbugi 'rail'	Gà đồng 'dong fowl/chicken' (12, 13, 34)	Inner M: Доголон ханчир ᠲᠣᠭᠣᠯᠠᠩ ᠬᠠᠨᠴᠢᠷ dogoloŋ khaŋchir 'lame rail' (31)
Porphyrio
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Porphyrio porphyrio	Purple swamphen Purple swamp hen Purple moorhen Sultan hen Purple coot Blue coot Swamp hen Purple gallinule	紫水鸡 (紫水雞) zǐ shuǐ-jī 'purple water-fowl/chicken'	(紫水鸡) 紫水雞 zǐ shuǐ-jī 'purple water-fowl/chicken'		セイケイ (青鶏) seikei 'blue/green fowl'		Chim Xít 'xít bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
Gallinula
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Gallinula chloropus	Common moorhen Moorhen Common gallinule	黑水鸡 (黑水雞) hēi shuǐ-jī 'black water-fowl/chicken' or 红骨顶 (紅骨頂) hóng gǔ-dǐng 'red bone top' (alt in 1, 3, 5)	(红冠水鸡) 紅冠水雞 hóng-guān shuǐ-jī 'red-crested water-fowl/chicken'	小鷭 (小鷭) xiǎo fán 'small fan'	バン (鷭) ban 'moorhen'	쇠물닭 soe-mul-dalg 'small water-fowl/chicken'	Chim Kịch 'kịch bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)	Хажилгат ханчир ᠬᠠᠵᠢᠯᠠᠭᠠᠲᠣ ᠬᠠᠨᠴᠢᠷ khajilgat khaŋchir 'fringed (?) moorhen' Inner M: Мэлзэн харгууна ᠮᠡᠯᠵᠡᠨ ᠬᠠᠷᠠᠭᠣᠨ᠎ᠠ melzen kharguun 'bald coot' (31, 32)
Fulica
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Fulica atra	Common coot Eurasian coot Black coot Coot	白骨顶 (白骨頂) bái gǔ-dǐng 'white bone top' or 骨顶鸡 (骨頂雞) gǔ-dǐng jī 'bone top fowl' (alt in 1, 3)	(白冠鸡) 白冠雞 bái-guān jī 'white-crested fowl'	大鷭 (大鷭) dà fán 'large fan' 水姑顶 (水姑頂) shuǐ gū dǐng 'water mother-in-law top' (northern) 水姑丁 (水姑丁) shuǐ gū dīng 'water mother-in-law ding' (northern) 冬鸡 (冬雞) dōng jī 'winter fowl' (southern) (31)	オオバン (大鷭) ō ban 'large moorhen'	물닭 mul-dalg 'water-fowl/chicken'	Chim Sâm cầm 'sâm cầm bird' (cầm = 'bird') (12, 13, 34)	Халзан түнжүү ᠬᠠᠯᠵᠠᠨ ?? khalzaŋ tüŋjüü 'bald-foreheaded rail (variant form)' Inner M: Халзан харгууна ᠬᠠᠯᠵᠠᠨ ᠬᠠᠷᠠᠭᠣᠨ᠎ᠠ khalzaŋ kharguun 'bald-foreheaded coot' (31, 32)

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