<p>Can I have a question? What are the terms ABC and KEY?</p>

<p>Most countries define the pigeon and dove's difference is gray and white. As to me a Chinese too. I don't know why Americans like to use dove in the love poems and songs, and A dove usually is white. AS a Chinese, We commonly use words 鸽子，白鸽，灰鸽，信鸽，家鸽，原鸽 <a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%B8%BD%E5%B1%9E" rel="nofollow">鸽属</a> mail pigeon, domestic pigeon etc. </p>

<p>We just can find them in the cities and televisions. We eat them in soup and restaurant. and we don't seriously distinguish them?</p>

<p>As mentioned above, Probably dove is smaller than pigeon. Because they are in same family. Probably they are same thing just symbolizing the peace. </p>

<p>Referred to <a href="http://www.proz.com/forum/teaching_and_learning_languages/28738-dove_vs_pigeon_how_to_explain_the_difference.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.proz.com/forum/teaching_and_learning_languages/28738-dove_vs_pigeon_how_to_explain_the_difference.html</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-12T16:46:20.630Z
2015-04-12T18:32:05.203Z
2015-04-12T18:32:05.203Z
kinson zhao
<p>I think most people distingish them these way:  </p>

<p>Pigeon - 鸽子 - larger in size and not necessary white<br>
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8RnqS.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>Dove - 白鸽 - smaller in size and mostly white<br>
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dqhpt.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>Although some may disagree as these 2 terms are interchangable in most situation / definition.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-12T19:58:12.663Z
2015-05-12T19:58:12.663Z
Alex
<p>鸽子 is used interchangeably for both <em>dove</em> and <em>pigeon</em>.</p>

<p>How to differentiate between the both of them in Chinese?</p>

<p><strong>Even</strong> 白鸽 which I would totally imagine would mean dove, both <strong>ABC</strong> and <strong>KEY</strong> just define it as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>pigeon</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Any ideas?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-12T11:31:23.220Z
looked at Wikipedia？ pigeon http://zh.wikipedia.org ；英语中pigeons和doves的分别；pigeons和dove的中文都是鸽，基本上，较小的鸽叫dove，较大的鸽叫pigeon。但并没有严谨的分类标准[1]....
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-12T16:27:23.120Z
It's relevant because it basically says that even in English the two terms are not reliably distinguished, so it's unlikely that you'd find the same distinction in another language.
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-12T17:17:32.013Z
Thanks a lot. 好象是相关的，根据网站的规则评论未必对问题提供回答，任何使用者总会给讨厌的评论扣分。反正维基百科的文章证实问题所提出属于英文特殊情况。另外该文章说明pigeon和dove之间的差别限制于大小不同。It seemed relevant, according to site rules comments need／should not answer questions, also comments are not necessarily addressed to OP but to any user.引用文章＂基本上，较小的鸽叫dove，较大的鸽叫pigeon就是说 ＂dove／pigeon 分别意味着＂较小／较大的鸽。According to the cited article the difference between the two is their size which can be expressed verbally.
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-02T14:01:41.453Z
cf。鸠 iciba：名>
（斑鸠、雉鸠等的统称） turtledove ； cooer 
网洛：dove；Pigeon；cooer；Doves http://baike.baidu.com/subview/91038/8102166.htm：鸠（Pigeon）是鸠鸽科部分鸟类的通称，约300多种。鸠通常是指该科中体型较小而尾长的成员。。。。
also note 成语：鹊巢鸠占
user6065
<terminology>
Differentiating Between Dove And Pigeon In Chinese
# Differentiating Between Dove And Pigeon In Chinese

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-04-12)

鸽子 is used interchangeably for both *dove* and *pigeon*.

How to differentiate between the both of them in Chinese?

**Even** 白鸽 which I would totally imagine would mean dove, both **ABC** and **KEY** just define it as:

> pigeon

Any ideas?

**Tags:** terminology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: looked at Wikipedia？ pigeon http://zh.wikipedia.org ；英语中pigeons和doves的分别；pigeons和dove的中文都是鸽，基本上，较小的鸽叫dove，较大的鸽叫pigeon。但并没有严谨的分类标准[1]....  
> **username_2**: It's relevant because it basically says that even in English the two terms are not reliably distinguished, so it's unlikely that you'd find the same distinction in another language.  
> **username_1**: Thanks a lot. 好象是相关的，根据网站的规则评论未必对问题提供回答，任何使用者总会给讨厌的评论扣分。反正维基百科的文章证实问题所提出属于英文特殊情况。另外该文章说明pigeon和dove之间的差别限制于大小不同。It seemed relevant, according to site rules comments need／should not answer questions, also comments are not necessarily addressed to OP but to any user.引用文章＂基本上，较小的鸽叫dove，较大的鸽叫pigeon就是说 ＂dove／pigeon 分别意味着＂较小／较大的鸽。According to the cited article the difference between the two is their size which can be expressed verbally.  
> **username_1**: cf。鸠 iciba：名> （斑鸠、雉鸠等的统称） turtledove ； cooer  网洛：dove；Pigeon；cooer；Doves http://baike.baidu.com/subview/91038/8102166.htm：鸠（Pigeon）是鸠鸽科部分鸟类的通称，约300多种。鸠通常是指该科中体型较小而尾长的成员。。。。 also note 成语：鹊巢鸠占  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-05-12. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

I think most people distingish them these way:

Pigeon - 鸽子 - larger in size and not necessary white  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/8RnqS.jpg)

Dove - 白鸽 - smaller in size and mostly white  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/dqhpt.jpg)

Although some may disagree as these 2 terms are interchangable in most situation / definition.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-04-12. Score: 1

Can I have a question? What are the terms ABC and KEY?

Most countries define the pigeon and dove's difference is gray and white. As to me a Chinese too. I don't know why Americans like to use dove in the love poems and songs, and A dove usually is white. AS a Chinese, We commonly use words 鸽子，白鸽，灰鸽，信鸽，家鸽，原鸽 [鸽属](http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%B8%BD%E5%B1%9E) mail pigeon, domestic pigeon etc.

We just can find them in the cities and televisions. We eat them in soup and restaurant. and we don't seriously distinguish them?

As mentioned above, Probably dove is smaller than pigeon. Because they are in same family. Probably they are same thing just symbolizing the peace.

Referred to <http://www.proz.com/forum/teaching_and_learning_languages/28738-dove_vs_pigeon_how_to_explain_the_difference.html>


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