What Is Agarwood Called Around the World? More Than 40 Names Explained

OUDVIETNAM Digital | September 12, 2026

One precious wood, many names

Agarwood has travelled across languages, cultures and ancient trade routes for centuries. It is burned as incense, distilled into oud oil, crafted into meaningful objects and valued as part of the cultural heritage of many Asian and Middle Eastern communities. It is therefore no surprise that the same extraordinary material has acquired dozens of names.

In English, the most widely recognised term is agarwood. Across the Middle East, it is better known as oud or oudh. In Malaysia and Indonesia, people commonly call it gaharu. In China it is chenxiang, in Japan jinkō, in Korea chimhyang, and in Vietnam trầm hương.

Some online articles claim that agarwood has more than 40 names. There is no official scientific list that fixes the number at exactly 40. However, the statement is reasonable when local names, historical terms, transliterations and spelling variants are counted together. International sources themselves acknowledge this richness: CITES lists names including gaharu, jinko, aloeswood, agarwood, oud, oodh and eaglewood, while TRAFFIC notes that the great variety of names reflects agarwood’s long and widespread use.[1][2]

What is the scientific name of agarwood?

Agarwood is not the name of one tree species. It is the resin-rich, aromatic wood formed in certain trees, principally those belonging to the genera Aquilaria and Gyrinops in the family Thymelaeaceae. Kew Science recognises Aquilaria as a botanical genus native from Assam and southern China through Southeast Asia to New Guinea.[3]

Species frequently encountered in research and trade include:

Aquilaria crassna
Aquilaria malaccensis
Aquilaria sinensis
Aquilaria subintegra
Aquilaria filaria

In Vietnam, Aquilaria crassna is commonly associated with the Dó Bầu tree and is an important source of Vietnamese agarwood. The botanical distinction matters: Dó Bầu is the tree, while trầm hương is the resin-bearing wood that forms within it. Healthy, pale wood that has not accumulated aromatic resin should not automatically be called agarwood.

More than 40 names and variants used for agarwood

The following list brings together common, commercial, historical and regional names found in botanical, medicinal and trade references. Some are alternative spellings of the same word. Others may refer to the tree, resinous wood, distilled oil or a special grade, depending on their cultural context.

Region or language	Names and spelling variants	How the term is generally used
International English	agarwood, agar wood, aloeswood, aloe wood, eaglewood, lign-aloes, lign aloes, lignum aloes, East Indian lign aloes, Malayan aloeswood, Malayan eaglewood	General names in modern trade, botany and historical literature
Middle East and Arabic trade	oud, oudh, aoud, ʿūd, ud	Usually refers to agarwood or the oud scent; dahn al oud/dehn al oud generally refers to oud oil
Malaysia and Indonesia	gaharu, kayu gaharu, kayu garu, kayoe garoe, garu, karas, kalambak, kalambac, kalamabak	May refer to the resinous wood or agarwood-producing tree, depending on the region
China	chénxiāng, chenxiang, chen xiang, ch’en-hsiang, tǔchénxiāng, tuchenxiang, guānxiāng, guanxiang	Chenxiang literally evokes sinking fragrance or sinking wood
China and regional premium terminology	qínán, qinan, qi-nan, chi-nan	A special material or category; not a general synonym for every type of agarwood
Japan	jinkō, jinko, jinkoh, kanankoh, kyara	Jinkō is the general Japanese term; Kyara is a highly particular traditional category
Korea	chimhyang, chim-hyang	Korean name for agarwood
Vietnam	trầm hương, trầm, trầm dó, dó trầm, dó bầu, gió bầu, kỳ nam	Dó Bầu/Gió Bầu mainly names the tree; Kỳ Nam is a distinct traditional category
Thailand	mai kritsana, kritsana, krissana, mai hom	Regional names associated with agarwood trees and wood
Laos	mai ketsana, ketsana	Local terminology for the tree or wood
Cambodia and Khmer usage	chann crassna, chan krasna, khloem chann, khloem chann crassna	Regional names associated particularly with A. crassna
Myanmar	akyaw, akyau, klaw, thit-hmwe	Vernacular names recorded in regional references
Philippines	lapnisan	A local name associated with agarwood-producing trees
Hindi and Sanskrit traditions	agar, agaru, aguru, ugoor, kalaguru, krishnaguru	Several South Asian names derive from the Sanskrit aguru
Assam	sanchi, sachi, sasi, hasi, sashi	Regional names from Northeast India
Bengali	agarchandan, agarkastha, agor, agaru	Regional and traditional materia medica terminology
Kannada	agil, agilu, karagil, kaaragil, krishna aguru	Regional spelling and pronunciation variants
Malayalam and Tamil	akil, aghil, agil, outh	South Indian names with multiple Romanised spellings
Mizo and Manipuri	thing-rai, aagar	Local names recorded in Northeast India
French	bois d’aigle, bois d’aloès, calambac, calambour	Historical and commercial French terms
German and European botanical collections	Aloeholz, Aquilariaholz, Aquilariaharzholz	Descriptive terms for Aquilaria wood or resinous Aquilaria wood
Pharmacognosy	Aquilariae lignum, Aquilariae lignum resinatum	Latinised drug names; their exact meaning depends on the applicable monograph

The Indian CITES Non-Detriment Finding report alone records a wide range of vernacular names, including Agar, Agaru, Sanchi, Sasi, Agarchandan, Agarkastha, Agor, Krishna Aguru, Akil and Outh.[4] Kew’s Economic Botany Collection also records multiple common and trade names for Aquilaria malaccensis, such as Siam lign aloes, agar, agaru, aloes wood, eaglewood, gaharu, karas and kayu garu.[5]

The table therefore contains more than 60 names and variants. Yet they should not all be treated as exact synonyms.

Four types of agarwood names that are often confused

1. Names for the resinous wood

Agarwood, oud, gaharu, chenxiang, jinkō, chimhyang and trầm hương usually refer to the aromatic, resin-bearing wood.

2. Names for agarwood-producing trees

Aquilaria and Gyrinops are botanical genera. Names such as Aquilaria crassna and Aquilaria malaccensis identify individual species. In Vietnam, Dó Bầu commonly names the Aquilaria crassna tree rather than every piece of wood harvested from it.

3. Names for distilled oil

Agarwood oil, agarwood essential oil, oud oil and dahn al oud usually refer to oil obtained from resinous agarwood. However, “oud oil” alone does not reveal the botanical species, origin or distillation method.

In modern perfumery, “oud” may also describe an oud accord recreated with a blend of aromatic materials. A perfume with “oud” in its name does not necessarily contain natural agarwood oil.

4. Names for special categories or grades

Kỳ Nam, qinan/chi-nan and Kyara belong to particular cultural and grading traditions. They should not be used as broad synonyms for all agarwood. Historical research also shows that regional origin, resin maturity and sinking behaviour have influenced agarwood classifications over time.[6]

Why understanding these names matters

Every name carries a layer of language, culture and trading history. The variety is beautiful, but it can also create confusion. Oud might mean raw agarwood, distilled oil or simply a fragrance accord. Dó Bầu means the tree, while trầm hương means the resin-bearing wood. Kỳ Nam and Kyara refer to exceptional traditional categories rather than ordinary agarwood.

Understanding these differences helps people appreciate what they are buying and protects the cultural meaning behind each term. It also encourages more transparent conversations about botanical species, provenance and the way the material was produced.

Vietnamese agarwood in the global language of oud

Vietnamese trầm hương belongs to the same global story as oud, agarwood, gaharu and chenxiang, yet it retains its own identity. Its value comes not only from aroma but also from regional knowledge, careful material selection and generations of craftsmanship.

At OUD VIETNAM, the name trầm hương Việt Nam represents a connection between the Dó Bầu tree, the landscape of Hà Tĩnh and the people who understand how to work with this rare aromatic wood. Preserving the correct language around agarwood is one way to preserve that heritage.

("Trầm hương Việt Nam" - Agarwood at OUD VIETNAM)

Conclusion

Agarwood has dozens of names because it has travelled through many cultures. Agarwood is the most recognisable international term. Oud dominates Middle Eastern and perfumery language. Gaharu is widely used in Southeast Asia, while chenxiang, jinkō, chimhyang and trầm hương express distinctive East Asian traditions.

The name is only the beginning. Behind it are the botanical species, geographical origin, resin formation, craftsmanship and transparency that give each agarwood product its true identity.

References

CITES. Resolution Conf. 16.10 (Rev. CoP20): Implementation of the Convention for agarwood-producing taxa. See the glossary of agarwood products and common names.
Barden, A. et al. (2000). Heart of the Matter: Agarwood Use and Trade and CITES Implementation for Aquilaria malaccensis. TRAFFIC International.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Plants of the World Online: Aquilaria Lam. and Aquilaria crassna Pierre ex Lecomte.
Botanical Survey of India/CITES (2024). NDF Study Report of Aquilaria malaccensis (Agarwood) in India.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Plants of the World Online: Aquilaria malaccensis Lam., common names from the Economic Botany Collection.
López-Sampson, A. & Page, T. (2018). “History of Use and Trade of Agarwood.” Economic Botany, 72, 107–129. DOI: 10.1007/s12231-018-9408-4.