火雞 / 火鸡
huǒjī
In Chinese, the word for the bird turkey is 火雞 / 火鸡 (huǒjī). Wiktionary also lists 吐綬雞 / 吐绶鸡 (tǔshòujī).
Meaning: bird in the genus Meleagris (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 火雞 / 火鸡 | huǒjī |
| 吐綬雞 / 吐绶鸡 | tǔshòujī |
火雞 / 火鸡 refers to the bird in the genus Meleagris. Another form, 吐綬雞 / 吐绶鸡, can also be used to refer to this bird.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 火雞 / 火鸡 literally translates to 'fire chicken'.
Which one should you use?
When referring to the country Turkey, you must use 土耳其.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
huǒjī
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 火雞 / 火鸡 to refer to the country Turkey. Use 土耳其 instead.
Did you know?
- The term 火雞 shares a literal 'fire chicken' meaning with the Tamil words for ostrich, neruppukkōḻi and tīkkōḻi.
- The word 吐綬雞 describes the turkey's wattle as a 'ribbon' or 'official ornament', reflecting a traditional Chinese fascination with courtly attire.
- Because turkeys are not native to East Asia, the name 火雞 was coined based on the bird's appearance after it was imported from the Americas.
Examples in context
- 在這次國際會議上，土耳其的代表將發表演講。The representative from Turkey will deliver a speech at this international conference.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “turkey” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 火雞, CC BY-SA 4.0.
