Gruidae
ツル科
tsuru ka

General

Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Species list may not be current. 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 Japanese word for 'crane' is ツル tsuru, written with the Chinese character 鶴. Tsuru becomes -zuru when combined with other words.

Older poetic names for the crane are:

• アシタズ ashi-ta-zu (written 葦田鶴 'reed paddy crane')
• タズ ta-zu (written 田鶴 'paddy crane').
• センカク senkaku, written 仙客 'fairy guest' -- otherwise a word for a 'hermit'.

CULTURAL

The name 'fairy guest' refers to the Chinese legend that a 仙 sen (variously translated as immortal, sage or fairy) rides on a crane's back when he visits the mortal world.

The crane is a symbol of longevity in East Asian culture and is often depicted in traditional paintings and statues.

The crane occurs in the expression 鶴の一声 tsuru no hito-koe 'one voice from the crane'. Unlike the feckless chattering of sparrows or other birds, one call from the crane is supposed to carry great authority. The expression is used in everyday life to refer to a person whose single command or request is sufficient to get things happening quickly and without fuss.

Species names

GRUINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		JAPANESE		CHINESE			KOREAN
Leucogeranus
Latin	Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru	Japanese	Other J	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Korean
Leucogeranus leucogeranus Grus leucogeranus	Siberian crane Great white crane Siberian white crane Grue de Sibérie Schneekranich Стерх	Grus leucogeranus: ソデグロヅル (袖黒鶴) sode-guro-zuru 'black-sleeved crane'		Grus leucogeranus: 白鹤 (白鶴) bái-hè 'white crane'		黑袖鹤 (黑袖鶴) hēi-xiù hè 'black-sleeved crane' (FS) 西伯利亚白鹤 (西伯利亞鶴) xībólìyà bái-hè 'Siberian white crane' (FS)	Grus leucogeranus: 시베리아흰두루미 Siberia-huin-durumi 'Siberian white crane'
Antigone
Latin	Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru	Japanese	Other J	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Korean
Antigone canadensis Grus canadensis	Sandhill crane Grue du Canada Kanadakranich Журавль Канадский	Grus canadensis: カナダヅル (カナダ鶴) kanada-zuru 'Canadian crane'		Grus canadensis: 沙丘鹤 (沙丘鶴) shā-qiū hè 'sand hill crane'		加拿大鹤 (加拿大鶴) jiānádà hè 'Canadian crane' (FS) 棕鹤 (棕鶴) zōng hè 'brown crane' (FS)	Grus canadensis: 캐나다두루미 kaenada-durumi 'Canadian crane'
Antigone vipio Grus vipio	White-naped crane Japanese white-naped crane White-necked crane Grue à cou blanc Weißnackenkranich Даурский журавль	Grus vipio: マナヅル (真鶴) mana-zuru 'true crane'	タズ (田鶴) tazu 'paddy crane' (poetic)	Grus vipio: 白枕鹤 (白枕鶴) bái-zhěn hè 'white-naped crane'	Grus vipio: (白枕鹤) 白枕鶴 bái-zhěn hè 'white-naped crane'	红面鹤 (紅面鶴) hóng-miàn hè 'red-faced crane' (FS)	Grus vipio: 재두루미 jae-durumi 'jae crane'
Grus
Latin	Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru	Japanese	Other J	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Korean
Grus virgo Anthropoides virgo	Demoiselle crane Grue demoiselle Jungfernkranich Красавка	Anthropoides virgo: アネハヅル (姉羽鶴) ane-ha-zuru 'big-sister feather crane'		Anthropoides virgo: 蓑羽鹤 (蓑羽鶴) suō yǔ hè 'raincoat feather crane'	Anthropoides virgo: (蓑羽鹤) 簑羽鶴 suō yǔ hè 'raincoat feather crane'	闺秀鹤 (閨秀鶴) guī-xiù hè 'young lady (=demoiselle) crane' (FS)	쇠재두루미 soe-jae-durumi 'small jae crane'
Grus japonensis	Red-crowned crane Manchurian crane Japanese crane Grue du Japon Mandschurenkranich Японский журавль	タンチョウ (丹頂) tanchō 'red-cap'	タンチョウヅル (丹頂鶴) tanchō-zuru 'red-capped crane'	丹顶鹤 (丹頂鶴) dān-dǐng hè 'red-capped crane'	(丹顶鹤) 丹頂鶴 dān-dǐng hè 'red-capped crane'	仙鹤 (仙鶴) xiān-hè 'fairy crane' (FS)	두루미 durumi 'crane'
Grus grus	Common crane Grue cendrée Kranich Серый журавль	クロヅル (黒鶴) kuro-zuru 'black crane'	ネズミヅル (鼠鶴) nezumi-zuru 'mouse crane'	灰鹤 (灰鶴) huī-hè 'grey crane'	(灰鹤) 灰鶴 huī-hè 'grey crane'	玄鹤 (玄鶴) xuán-hè 'dark crane' (also Grus monacha) 仓庚 or 苍庚 (倉庚 or 蒼庚) cānggēng 'canggeng' (仓庚 also used for oriole; 苍庚 'darkblue geng' used only for crane) 鸧鸹 (鶬鴰) cāng-guā 'cang + crow' 番薯鹤 (番薯鶴) fānshǔ hè 'sweet potato crane' 欧亚鹤 (歐亞鶴) ōu-yà hè 'Eurasian crane' (FS)	검은목두루미 geomeun-mok-durumi 'black-necked crane'
Grus monacha	Hooded crane Grue moine Mönchskranich Черный журавль	ナベヅル (鍋鶴) nabe-zuru 'pot crane'		白头鹤 (白頭鶴) bái-tóu hè 'white-headed crane'	(白头鹤) 白頭鶴 bái-tóu hè 'white-headed crane'	青庄鹤 (青莊鶴) qīng zhuāng hè 'green/blue field (=blue heron) crane' 锅鹤 (鍋鶴) guō hè 'pot crane' (FS) 玄鹤 (玄鶴) xuán-hè 'dark crane' (FS)	흑두루미 heuk-durumi 'black crane'