Alcedinidae

1. General names

The three languages have traditionally had a variety of names for kingfishers. Originally these appear to have been poorly differentiated (if at all), so that the same names were applied rather indiscriminately to a range of species. As naturalists have come to draw clear distinctions between subfamilies -- or in the case of Sibley and Monroe, families (Halcyonidae, Alcedinidae, and Cerylidae) -- new distinctions have also come to be drawn among traditional names.

Chinese: The usual name for kingfishers in general usage is 翠鸟 cuì-niǎo. Ornithologists restrict 翠鸟 cùi-niǎo ('cui bird') to refer to the alcedin kingfishers. Alcedo atthis (the Common or River kingfisher) is common in large parts of China; the other members are found only in peripheral areas.

Originally, the kingfishers were called 翡翠 fěicuì (sometimes 翡翠鸟 fěicuì-niǎo). According to one of China's earliest dictionaries, the Shuowen jiezi from the Han dynasty (206 BC - AD 220), the term 翡翠 fěicùi is a combination of two words:

翡 fěi = 赤羽雀 chì-yǔ què ('red-winged sparrow/finch'), a type of red-winged bird.
翠 cuì = 青羽雀 qīng-yǔ què (green/blue-winged sparrow/finch') a type of blue or green-winged bird.

Presumably the term referred specifically to the halcyon kingfishers, which have the distinctive colours implied by the name. The word 翡翠 fěicuì was later extended to mean 'jadeite', the favourite precious stone of the Chinese, which comes in red and green colours. In fact, Chinese speakers now generally identify 翡翠 fěicùi with the precious stone rather than the bird. Ornithologists use 翡翠 fěicùi strictly for the halcyon kingfishers.

Some other names exist for the halcyon kingfishers, including 翠雀儿 cuì-qiǎor ('cui sparrow') and 赤羽雀 chì-yǔ què (literally 'red-winged sparrow').

The cerylid kingfishers use the more distinctive name 鱼狗 yú-gǒu ('fish dog'). Other, older, names include 鴗 lì or 鴗鸟 lì-niǎo 'li bird' and 天狗 tiān-gǒu 'heaven dog'.

Japanese: The general Japanese word for a kingfisher is カワセミ kawa-semi. Kawa means 'river'. Semi means 'kingfisher', although semi never occurs by itself as an independent word. This name is used by naturalists to refer to Alcedo atthis, the only alcedin found in Japan.

There is no single Chinese character that can be used to write kawa-semi. Among the ways used to write it are:

(1) 翡翠 (normally read hisui) from the Chinese word fěicùi 'kingfisher'. As in Chinese, 翡翠 hisui also means 'jadeite' in Japanese.
(2) 川蝉 kawa-semi which literally means 'river cicada'. Although semi 'cicada' and semi 'kingfisher' are different words, the character 蝉 'cicada' is used for the kingfisher due to the common pronunciation.
(3) 魚狗 'fish dog' (Chinese yú-gǒu) is sometimes also used.

Naturalists call the halcyon kingfishers ショウビン shōbin. This is written with the characters 翡翠, which are also read kawa-semi or hisui. Originally, ショウビン shōbin was just an alternative name for the カワセミ kawa-semi, the general word for 'kingfisher'. It is a much less familiar name for the layman than kawa-semi.

The cerylid kingfishers are known as ヤマセミ yama-semi 'mountain kingfisher'. In Chinese characters, ヤマセミ yama-semi is written either:

山 yama 'mountain'	+	翡翠 semi	翡翠 is also used in Japanese to write (1) kawa-semi, (2) hisui, and (3) shōbin.
山 yama 'mountain'	+	魚狗 semi	魚狗 'fish dog' is sometimes also used in Japanese to write kawa-semi.

Note that the characters 山翡翠 can also be read yama shōbin, which is the name of Halcyon pileata.

Vietnamese:

The general Vietnamese name for kingfishers is Sả. This is applied by naturalists to the halcyon kingfishers. The name occurs in a number of variants:

Chim sả

Chim sả sả

Chim sa sả

Trả

Chim trả

To add to the variety, the spellings xả and chả are sometimes used in place of sả and trả respectively. A number of these names are regional (e.g., Chim sa sả is used in Central and Southern Vietnam).

For the cerylid kingfishers naturalists use the name Bói cá. The word cá means 'fish'.

The name used for the alcedinid kingfishers is Bồnh chanh. In unmodified form naturalists use this to refer to Alcedo atthis. The alcedinid kingfishers are also known as Bói cá sông 'river boi ca'.

2. Species names

HALCYONINAE SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH CHINESE JAPANESE VIETNAMESE Latin English Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Japanese Other J Vietnamese Other V Actenoides                 Actenoides concretus Halcyon concreta Rufous-collared kingfisher Chestnut-collared kingfisher 栗领翡翠 lì-lǐng fěicuì 'chestnut-collared feicui'     アオヒゲショウビン (青髭翡翠) ao-hige shōbin 'red-whiskered shobin'       Lacedo                 Lacedo pulchella Banded kingfisher 横斑翠鸟 héng-bān cuì-niǎo 'horizontal stripe cui bird' (4) 斑翠鸟 bān cuì-niǎo 'striped cui bird' (5)     カザリショウビン (飾り翡翠) kazari shōbin 'decorative shobin'   Sả vằn 'striped sa'   Pelargopsis                 Pelargopsis capensis Halcyon capensis Stork-billed kingfisher 鹳嘴翡翠 guàn-zuǐ fěicuì 'stork-billed feicui'     コウハシショウビン (鸛嘴翡翠) kō-hashi shōbin 'stork-billed shobin'   Sả mỏ rộng 'large-billed sa'   Pelargopsis amauropterus Pelargopsis amauroptera Halcyon amauroptera Brown-winged kingfisher 褐翅翡翠 hè-chì fěicuì 'brown-winged feicui' (4) 褐翅鹳嘴翡翠 hè-chì guàn-zuǐ fěicuì 'brown-winged stork-billed feicui' (5)     チャバネコウハシショウビン (茶羽鸛嘴翡翠) cha-bane kō-hashi shōbin 'brown-winged stork-billed shobin'       Halcyon                 Halcyon coromanda Ruddy kingfisher 赤翡翠 chì fěicuì 'red feicui' 赤翡翠 chì fěicuì 'red feicui'   アカショウビン (赤翡翠) aka shōbin 'red shobin' ミズコイドリ (水恋鳥) mizu-koi-dori 'water love bird' ミヤマショウビン (深山翡翠) miyama shōbin 'deep mountain shobin' Sả hung 'reddish sa'   Halcyon smyrnensis White-throated kingfisher White-breasted kingfisher (Cheng) 白胸翡翠 bái-xiōng fěicuì 'white-breasted feicui' 蒼翡翠 cāng fěicuì 'blue feicui' 鱼狗 yú-gǒu 'fish dog' (officially used only for Cerylid kingfishers) 白胸鱼狗 bái-xiōng yú-gǒu 'white-breasted fish dog' 鱼虎 yú-hǔ 'fish tiger' 翠毛鸟 cuì-máo-niǎo 'kingfisher feather bird' 翠碧鸟 cuì-bì-niǎo 'kingfisher-blue-bird' アオショウビン (青翡翠) ao shōbin 'blue shobin'   Sả đầu nâu 'brown-headed sa'   Halcyon pileata Black-capped kingfisher 蓝翡翠 lán fěicuì 'blue feicui' 黑頭翡翠 hēi-tóu fěicuì 'black-headed feicui' 蓝翠鸟 lán cuì-niǎo 'blue kingfisher' (see Aledinid kingfishers) 蓝翠毛 lán cuì-máo 'blue kingfisher feather' 喜鹊翠 xǐquè-cuì 'magpie kingfisher' 黑帽鱼狗 hēi-mào yú-gǒu 'black-capped fish dog' 秦椒鸟 qín-jiāo-niǎo 'Qin pepper bird' 山鴗 shān-lì 'mountain kingfisher' ヤマショウビン (山翡翠) yama shōbin 'mountain shobin'   Sả đầu đen 'black-headed sa'   Todiramphus                 Todiramphus chloris Todirhamphus chloris Halcyon chloris Collared kingfisher White-collared kingfisher (Cheng) 白领翡翠 bái-lǐng fěicuì 'white-collared feicui' 白領翡翠 bái-lǐng fěicuì 'white-collared feicui' 白领翠鸟 bái-lǐng cuì-niǎo 'white-collared cui bird' ナンヨウショウビン (南洋翡翠) Nan'yō shōbin 'south seas shobin'   Sả khoang cổ 'spotted necked sa'   Todiramphus sanctus Todirhamphus sanctus Halcyon sancta Sacred kingfisher 白眉翡翠 bái-méi fěicuì 'white-eyebrowed feicui'     ヒジリショウビン (聖翡翠) hijiri shōbin 'saint shobin'

ALCEDININAE SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH CHINESE JAPANESE VIETNAMESE Latin English Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Japanese Other J Vietnamese Other V Ceyx                 Ceyx erithaca Ceyx erithacus Oriental dwarf kingfisher Three-toed kingfisher (Cheng) 三趾翠鸟 sān-zhǐ cuì-niǎo 'three-toed cui bird' 三趾翠鳥 sān-zhǐ cuì-niǎo 'three-toed cui bird' 小黄鱼狗 xiǎo huáng yú-gǒu 'small yellow fish dog' ミツユビカワセミ (三つ趾翡翠 or 三つ趾川蝉) mitsu-yubi kawa-semi 'three-toed river kingfisher'   Bồng chanh đỏ 'red bong chanh'   Ceyx rufidorsa Ceyx rufidorsum Ceyx rufidorsus Note Rufous-backed kingfisher Malay forest kingfisher 棕背三趾翠鸟 zōng-bèi sān-zhǐ cuì-niǎo 'reddish-brown backed three-toed cui bird' (4) 红背三趾翠鸟 hóng-bèi sān-zhǐ cuì-niǎo 'red-backed three-toed cui bird' (5)     セアカミツユビカワセミ (背赤三つ趾翡翠 or 背赤三つ趾川蝉) se-aka kawa-semi 'red-backed three-toed river kingfisher'       Alcedo                 Alcedo euryzona Blue-banded kingfisher 蓝带翠鸟 lán-dài cuì-niǎo 'blue-banded cui bird' (4) 蓝胸翠鸟 lán-xiōng cuì-niǎo 'blue-breasted cui bird' (5)     アオムネカワセミ (青胸翡翠 or 青胸川蝉) ao-mune kawa-semi 'blue-breasted river kingfisher'       Alcedo meninting Blue-eared kingfisher 蓝耳翠鸟 lán-ěr cuì-niǎo 'blue-eared cui bird'     ルリカワセミ (瑠璃翡翠 or 瑠璃川蝉 or 琉璃翡翠 or 琉璃川蝉) ruri kawa-semi 'lapis lazuli river kingfisher'   Bồng chanh tai xanh 'blue-eared bong chanh'   Alcedo atthis Common kingfisher (Cheng) River kingfisher 普通翠鸟 pǔtōng cuì-niǎo 'common cui bird' 翠鳥 cuì-niǎo 'cui bird' 翡翠 fěicuì 'feicui' 小翠鱼狗 xiǎo cuì yú-gǒu 'small cui fish dog' 小翠鸟 xiǎo cuì-niǎo 'small cui bird' 鱼狗 yú-gǒu 'fish dog' 小鱼狗 xiǎo yú-gǒu 'small fish dog' 天狗 tiān-gǒu 'heaven dog' 水狗 shuǐ-gǒu 'water dog' 水雀 shuǐ-qiǎo 'water finch/sparrow' 翠雀儿 cuì-qiǎor 'cui finch/sparrow' (Northern) 钓鱼郎 diào-yú-láng 'fisherman' 打鱼郎 dǎ-yú-láng 'fisherman' 金鸟仔 jīn niǎo zǎi 'golden bird' (Southern) 鱼虎 yú-hǔ 'fish tiger' (Materia Medica) 翊 yì 'yi' (literary) 鴗 lì 'li' (old) 翠碧鸟 cuìbì-niǎo 'cui blue bird' 鱼师 yú-shī 'fisher' 翠奴 cuì-nǔ 'cui fellow' 信天缘 xìn-tiān-yuán 'believe heaven fate ?' 青翰 qīng-hàn 'blue ' 青庄 qīng-zhuāng 'blue fields' 青羽雀 qīng yǔ què 'blue-feathered finch' 衔鱼翠鸟 xián-yú cuì-niǎo 'hold fish cui bird' カワセミ (翡翠 or 川蝉) kawa-semi 'river kingfisher' (written with either the characters for hisui or for 'river cicada') ヒスイ (翡翠) hisui from Chinese fěicùi; also means 'jadeite' ショウビン (翡翠) shōbin 'shobin', written with the characters for hisui ソニドリ (鴗) soni-dori 'soni bird'(old name used as a poetic qualifier for 'blue') ソニ (鴗) soni 'soni' (old name) Bồng chanh 'bong chanh'   Alcedo hercules Blyth's kingfisher 斑头大翠鸟 bān-tóu dà cuì-niǎo 'stripe-headed large cui bird'   斑头大鱼狗 bān-tóu dà yú-gǒu 'stripe-headed large fish dog' オオカワセミ (大翡翠 or 大川蝉) ō kawa-semi 'large river kingfisher'   Bồng chanh rừng 'forest bong chanh'

CERYLINAE SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH CHINESE JAPANESE VIETNAMESE Latin English Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Japanese Other J Vietnamese Other V Megaceryle                 Megaceryle lugubris Ceryle lugubris Crested kingfisher Greater pied kingfisher Crested pied kingfisher (Cheng) Pied kingfisher 冠鱼狗 guàn yú-gǒu 'crested fish dog'   水葱花 shuǐ cōng-huā 'water shallot-flower' 大啄鱼 dà zhuó-yú 'large catch-fish' 斑鴗 bān lì 'spotted/striped li' 花鱼狗 huā yú-gǒu 'flowery fish dog' 花钓鱼郎 huā diào-yú-láng 'flowery fisherman' ヤマセミ (山翡翠 or 山魚狗) yama-semi 'mountain kingfisher' カノコショウビン (鹿の子翡翠) kanoko-shōbin 'deer-(striped) kingfisher' Bói cá lớn 'large boi ca'   Ceryle                 Ceryle rudis Pied kingfisher Lesser pied kingfisher (Cheng) 斑鱼狗 bān yú-gǒu 'striped/spotted fish dog' 斑翡翠 bān fěicùi 'striped/spotted feicui' 小啄鱼 xiǎo zhuó-yú 'small catch-fish' 小花鱼狗 xiǎo huā yú-gǒu 'small flowery fish dog' 花斑钓鱼郎 huā bān diào-yú-láng 'flowery striped fisherman' ヒメヤマセミ (姫山翡翠 or 姫山魚狗) hime yama-semi 'princess mountain kingfisher'   Bói cá nhỏ 'small boi ca'