Rallidae
秧雞科
yāng-jī kē

General

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

The term 田雞 tián-jī 'paddy-fowl/chicken' is also used for a number of species. The two names are used fairly indiscriminately without regard for genus, although the Mainland has moved to systematise usage. For the average Chinese, however, the most familiar interpretation of 田雞 tián-jī is 'frog meat', which is what it means on Chinese menus. Other terms include:

董雞 dǒng-jī 'dong fowl/chicken', used for the Water Cock.

水雞 shuǐ-jī 'water-fowl/chicken' used for the Purple Swamp Hen and the Moorhen.

苦惡鸟 kǔ-è-niǎo, literally 'bitter evil bird', used for the Brown Crake (genus Amaurornis).

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

The Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) is known as 紅冠水雞 hóng-guān shuǐ-jī 'red-crested water-fowl/chicken'. In the Mainland ornithological names this species is known as 黑水雞 hēi shuǐ-jī 'black water-fowl/chicken' or 紅骨頂 hóng gǔ-dǐng 'red bone top'.

The Black Coot (Fulica atra) is known as the 白冠雞 bái-guān jī 'white-crested fowl' in Taiwan. It is ornithologically known as 骨頂雞 gǔ dǐng jī 'bone top fowl' or 白骨頂 bái gǔ-dǐng 'white bone top' in Mainland China, the latter a North Chinese term.

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

Species names

RALLINAE
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			JAPANESE		OTHER
Rallina
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Rallina fasciata	Red-legged crake Red-legged banded crake	紅腳秧雞 (红脚秧鸡) hóng-jiǎo yāng-jī 'red-legged seedling-fowl/chicken'	(紅腿斑秧雞) 红腿斑秧鸡 hóng-tuǐ bān yāng-jī 'red-legged striped seedling-fowl/chicken'	Taiwan formerly: 紅腿秧雞 (红腿秧鸡) hóng-tuǐ yāng-jī 'red-legged seedling-fowl/chicken'	ナンヨウオオクイナ (南洋大秧鶏 ~ 南洋大水鶏) nan-yō ō kuina 'southern seas large rail'			Gà nước họng nâu 'brown-throated water-fowl/chicken' (12, 34)
Rallina eurizonoides	Slaty-legged crake Banded crake	灰腳秧雞 (灰脚秧鸡) huī-jiǎo yāng-jī 'grey-legged seedling-fowl/chicken'	(白喉斑秧雞) 白喉斑秧鸡 bái-hóu bān yāng-jī 'white-throated striped seedling-fowl/chicken'	Taiwan formerly: 灰腿秧雞 (灰腿秧鸡) 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)
Rallus
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Rallus indicus	Eastern Water Rail Brown-cheeked Rail	秧雞 (秧鸡) yāng-jī 'seedling-fowl/chicken'	Rallus aquaticus: (普通秧雞) 普通秧鸡 pǔtōng yāng-jī 'common seedling-fowl/chicken' Rallus aquaticus indicus: (東北亞種) 东北亚种 dōng-běi yàzhǒng 'Northeastern (Manchurian) subspecies' (1)	秋雞 (秋鸡) qiū-jī 'autumn fowl/chicken' 水雞 (水鸡) shuǐ-jī 'water-fowl/chicken'	Rallus aquaticus: クイナ (秧鶏 ~ 水鶏) kuina 'rail'	フユクイナ (冬秧鶏 ~ 冬水鶏) fuyu kuina 'winter rail'	흰눈썹뜸부기 huin-nunsseop-tteumbugi 'white-eyebrowed rail'	Rallus aquaticus: Gà nước Ấn Độ 'Indian water-fowl/chicken' (12, 34)
Lewinia
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Lewinia striata Gallirallus striatus Rallus striatus	Slaty-breasted rail Blue-breasted banded rail Banded rail	Gallirallus striatus: 灰胸秧雞 (灰胸秧鸡) huī-xiōng yāng-jī 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken'	Gallirallus striatus: (灰胸秧雞) 灰胸秧鸡 huī-xiōng yāng-jī 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (2, 4) (藍胸秧雞) 蓝胸秧鸡 lán-xiōng yāng-jī 'blue-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (1, 3, 5)		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)
Porzana
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Porzana porzana	Spotted crake	斑胸田雞 (斑胸田鸡) bān-xiōng tián-jī 'stripe-breasted paddy-fowl/chicken'	(斑胸田雞) 斑胸田鸡 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'
Zapornia
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Zapornia fusca Porzana fusca	Ruddy-breasted crake Ruddy crake	Porzana fusca: 緋秧雞 (绯秧鸡) fēi yāng-jī 'scarlet seedling-fowl/chicken'	Porzana fusca: (紅胸田雞) 红胸田鸡 hóng-xiōng tián-jī 'red-breasted paddy-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: 斑脇田雞 (斑胁田鸡) bān-xié tián-jī 'stripe-flanked paddy-fowl/chicken'	Porzana paykullii: (斑胁田雞) 斑胁田鸡 bān-xié tián-jī 'stripe-flanked paddy-fowl/chicken' (1, 2, 4, 5) (斑肋田雞) 斑肋田鸡 bān-lèi tián-jī 'stripe-ribbed paddy-fowl/chicken' (3)	班田雞 (斑田鸡) 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 pusilla Porzana pusilla	Baillon's crake	Porzana pusilla: 小秧雞 (小秧鸡) xiǎo yāng-jī 'small seedling-fowl/chicken'	Porzana pusilla: (小田雞) 小田鸡 xiǎo tián-jī 'small paddy-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)
Amaurornis
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Amaurornis akool	Brown crake Crimson-legged crake	紅腳苦惡鳥 (红脚苦恶鸟) hóng-jiǎo kǔ-è-niǎo 'red-legged kǔ-è bird'	(紅腳苦惡鳥) 红脚苦恶鸟 hóng-jiǎo kǔ-è-niǎo 'red-legged kǔ-è bird'		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	白腹秧雞 (白腹秧鸡) bái-fù yāng-jī 'white-bellied seedling-fowl/chicken'	(白胸苦惡鳥) 白胸苦恶鸟 bái-xiōng kǔ-è-niǎo 'white-breasted kǔ-è bird'	白胸秧雞 (白胸秧鸡) bái-xiōng yāng-jī 'white-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (7) 苦惡鳥 (苦恶鸟) kǔ-è-niǎo 'kǔ-è bird' 白胸秧鳥 (白胸秧鸟) bái-xiōng yāng-niǎo 'white-breasted seedling-bird' 白臉秧雞 (白脸秧鸡) bái-liǎn yāng-jī 'white-faced seedling-fowl/chicken' 白面雞 (白面鸡) bái-miàn-jī 'white-faced fowl' 白胸黑水雞 (白胸黑水鸡) bái-xiōng hēi shuǐ-jī 'white-breasted black water-fowl/chicken' (='white-breasted moorhen') 姑惡雞 (姑恶鸡) 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)
Amaurornis cinerea Porzana cinerea Poliolimnas cinereus	White-browed crake White-browed rail	Porzana cinerea: 白眉秧雞 (白眉秧鸡) bái-méi yāng-jī 'white-eyebrowed seedling-fowl/chicken'	Porzana cinerea: (白眉田雞) 白眉田鸡 bái-méi tián-jī 'white-eyebrowed paddy-fowl/chicken' (2, 4) (白眉秧雞) 白眉秧鸡 bái-méi yāng-jī 'white-eyebrowed seedling-fowl/chicken' (3) (灰田雞) 灰田鸡 huī tián-jī 'grey paddy-fowl/chicken' (5)		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 (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Gallicrex cinerea	Watercock Water cock	董雞 (董鸡) dǒng-jī 'dong fowl/chicken'	(董雞) 董鸡 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)
Porphyrio
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Porphyrio porphyrio	Purple swamphen Purple swamp hen Purple moorhen Sultan hen Purple coot Blue coot Swamp hen Purple gallinule	紫水雞 (紫水鸡) zǐ shuǐ-jī 'purple water-fowl/chicken'	(紫水雞) 紫水鸡 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 (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Gallinula chloropus	Common moorhen Moorhen Common gallinule	紅冠水雞 (红冠水鸡) hóng-guān shuǐ-jī 'red-crested water-fowl/chicken'	(黑水雞) 黑水鸡 hēi shuǐ-jī 'black water-fowl/chicken' or (紅骨頂) 红骨顶 hóng gǔ-dǐng 'red bone top' (alt in 1, 3, 5)	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)
Fulica
Latin	English	Chinese (Taiwan)	Chinese (Mainland)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Korean	Vietnamese
Fulica atra	Common coot Eurasian coot Black coot Coot	白冠雞 (白冠鸡) bái-guān jī 'white-crested fowl'	(白骨頂) 白骨顶 bái gǔ-dǐng 'white bone top' or (骨頂雞) 骨顶鸡 gǔ-dǐng jī 'bone top fowl' (alt in 1, 3)	大鷭 (大鷭) dà fán 'large fan' 水姑頂 (水姑顶) shuǐ gū dǐng 'water mother-in-law top' (northern) 水姑丁 (水姑丁) shuǐ gū dīng 'water mother-in-law ding' (northern) 冬雞 (冬鸡) 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)

To write the word クイナ kuina, Japanese simply takes over one of the equivalent Chinese names, 秧雞 'seedling fowl/chicken' or 水雞 'water fowl/chicken'. This practice of reading Chinese compound-words (multi-character words) with single Japanese readings is known as 熟字訓 jukuji-kun.

This onomatopoeic bird name is based on the similarity of the birds' call to the Chinese word 苦惡 kǔ'è 'bitter evil'.

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全（修订版） 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册（中文版）约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯，合作者：荷芬奇，翻译：卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称（拉丁文、汉文、英文对照）第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

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

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

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