Pittidae

Chinese: The pittas are known as 八色鸫 bā-sè-dōng ('eight-coloured thrush') in Chinese. In Taiwan, the only member of the family, Pitta nympha, is known as the 八色鳥 bā-sè-niǎo ('eight-coloured bird').

Japanese: The Japanese name of pittas is ヤイロチョウ ya-iro-chō, meaning 'eight-coloured bird' and written 八色鳥. The pronunciation combines native Japanese readings (kun readings) in ya, an old native Japanese word for 'eight' and iro, 'colour', with a Chinese or on reading in chō 'bird'. It is also known as the ヤイロツグミ ya-iro tsugumi ('eight-coloured thrush') written 八色鶇.

Vietnamese: The Vietnamese name for the pittas is the less romantic Đuôi cụt, meaning 'short-tail'.

The distribution of the Pittidae in East Asia can be seen at Tzung-Su Ding's Distribution of Pittidae in East Asia.

1. The classification of P. nympha, P. moluccensis, and P. brachyura is in something of a mess. Both P. nympha and P. moluccensis have been treated as subspecies of P. brachyura . Most sources give P. nympha as occurring in South China. However, there is no agreement as to whether a second species occurring in China should be P. moluccensis or P. brachyura. Accordingly, I have listed all three species as occurring in China.

This has given rise to confusion in the assignment of Chinese common names, especially the name 蓝翅八色鸫 lán-chì bā-sè-dōng 'blue-winged pitta'.

2. The Chinese and Japanese names are clearly related, both referring to the pittas as 'eight-coloured' birds. The Chinese name was probably borrowed from Japanese, most likely via the Japanese name for the Fairy pitta (Pitta nympha).

The Vietnamese name is completely unrelated to the Chinese and Japanese names.