Gruidae
鶴科
hè kē

General

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The Chinese term for 'crane' is 鶴 hè. Cranes are also known as 仙鶴 xiān-hè 'fairy cranes' (often used specifically for the Manchurian or Red-crowned Crane, Grus japonensis). Chinese has a rich and sometimes confusing variety of names for the cranes -- see alternative names in the table of species below.

Chinese and Japanese names relating to 'fairy cranes' refer to the Chinese legend that the crane carries an immortal or sage ('fairy') on its 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.

Species names

GRUINAE
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			JAPANESE		OTHER
Antigone
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Antigone vipio Grus vipio	White-naped crane Japanese white-naped crane White-necked crane	Grus vipio: 白枕鶴 (白枕鹤) bái-zhěn hè 'white-naped crane'	Grus vipio: (白枕鶴) 白枕鹤 bái-zhěn hè 'white-naped crane'	紅面鶴 (红面鹤) hóng-miàn hè 'red-faced crane' (FS)	Grus vipio: マナヅル (真鶴) mana-zuru 'true crane'	タズ (田鶴) tazu 'paddy crane' (poetic)	Grus vipio: 재두루미 jae-durumi 'jae crane'
Grus
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Grus virgo Anthropoides virgo	Demoiselle crane	Anthropoides virgo: 簑羽鶴 (蓑羽鹤) suō yǔ hè 'raincoat feather crane'	Anthropoides virgo: (蓑羽鶴) 蓑羽鹤 suō yǔ hè 'raincoat feather crane'	閨秀鶴 (闺秀鹤) guī-xiù hè 'young lady (=demoiselle) crane' (FS)	Anthropoides virgo: アネハヅル (姉羽鶴) ane-ha-zuru 'big-sister feather crane'		쇠재두루미 soe-jae-durumi 'small jae crane'
Grus japonensis	Red-crowned crane Manchurian crane Japanese crane	丹頂鶴 (丹顶鹤) dān-dǐng hè 'red-capped crane'	(丹頂鶴) 丹顶鹤 dān-dǐng hè 'red-capped crane'	仙鶴 (仙鹤) xiān-hè 'fairy crane' (FS)	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'	두루미 durumi 'crane'	Sếu Nhật Bản 'Japanese crane' Sếu đầu đỏ Nhật Bản 'Japanese red-headed crane' (from Cites list on Internet)
Grus grus	Common crane	灰鶴 (灰鹤) huī-hè 'grey crane'	(灰鶴) 灰鹤 huī-hè 'grey crane'	玄鶴 (玄鹤) xuán-hè 'dark crane' 倉庚 or 蒼庚 (仓庚 or 苍庚) cānggēng 'canggeng' (倉庚 also used for oriole; 蒼庚 'darkblue geng' used only for crane) 鶬鴰 (鸧鸹) cāng-guā 'cang + crow' 番薯鶴 (番薯鹤) fānshǔ hè 'sweet potato crane' 歐亞鶴 (欧亚鹤) ōu-yà hè 'Eurasian crane' (FS)	クロヅル (黒鶴) kuro-zuru 'black crane'	ネズミヅル (鼠鶴) nezumi-zuru 'mouse crane'	검은목두루미 geomeun-mok-durumi 'black-necked crane'	Chim Sếu cổ trắng 'white-necked crane (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Grus monacha	Hooded crane	白頭鶴 (白头鹤) bái-tóu hè 'white-headed crane'	(白頭鶴) 白头鹤 bái-tóu hè 'white-headed crane'	青莊鶴 (青壮鹤) qīng zhuāng hè 'green/blue field (=blue heron) crane' 鍋鶴 (锅鹤) guō hè 'pot crane' (FS) 玄鶴 (玄鹤) xuán-hè 'dark crane' (FS)	ナベヅル (鍋鶴) nabe-zuru 'pot crane'		흑두루미 heuk-durumi 'black crane'

中国鸟类分布名录 第二版 郑作新 科学出版社 北京 1976年
(Checklist of the Classification of Birds of China 2nd edition by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 1976)

香港及華南鳥類（第六版）（翻譯成中文及重新修訂） 尹璉、費嘉倫、林超英 香港性徵特區政府新聞處政府印務局 1994年
Birds of Hong Kong and South China (6th edition, translated into Chinese and newly revised) by Clive Viney, Karen Phillipps, Lin Chaoying, Hong Kong Govt. Press 1994

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

Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009