Agarwood is resin-associated wood formed in certain trees, especially species of Aquilaria and Gyrinops; oud, oodh, aloeswood, eaglewood, gaharu and jinkō are common or trade names used for the material in different contexts. The words are not automatic proof of species, origin, resin content, legal provenance or grade. Kinam, kynam and kyara usually refer to exceptional agarwood categories in particular trade or cultural systems, but they are not one globally regulated botanical grade. “Sinking grade” describes density behavior of a wood sample, not a complete authenticity certificate.
| Term | Practical meaning | What the term alone does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Agarwood / agar wood | Resin-associated fragrant wood; “agar wood” is a spelling variant, not a separate material | Species, origin, grade, legality or authenticity |
| Oud / oudh | A common trade name for agarwood or an agarwood-derived aromatic material; in perfume it may also name an oud-style accord | That a product is oil, contains natural agarwood, or has a particular concentration |
| Aloeswood / eaglewood / gaharu / jinkō | Names used in international, regional or cultural contexts for agarwood material | That differently named samples are chemically or commercially identical |
| Kinam / kynam / kyara / qi-nan | Related spellings and labels used for rare or high-valued agarwood categories in some markets and studies | A universal definition, botanical species or independently verified grade |
| Sinking grade | Wood that sinks under a stated water-test method because its bulk density exceeds the test liquid | Legal origin, species, aroma, age, safety, or overall quality |
| Aquilaria / Gyrinops | Accepted plant genera containing agarwood-producing species | That every tree or every piece of its wood contains valuable resin |
Use this glossary to decode labels, listings, laboratory reports and CITES paperwork. For a full introduction, begin with what agarwood is; for sample evaluation, use the multi-factor grading guide.
Are agarwood and oud the same thing?
They overlap, but context matters. Agarwood normally refers to the resin-associated wood. Oud or oudh is widely used for that wood and its aromatic derivatives. On a fragrance label, however, “oud” may describe an olfactory theme created with natural agarwood oil, a reconstructed accord, or both. CITES’ agarwood glossary lists gaharu, jinko, aloes wood, agarwood, oud, oodh and eagle wood as common names while separately defining trade forms such as chips, powder and oil.
Do not infer product form from the word alone. A listing should say whether the item is raw wood, chips, powder, incense, beads, distilled oil, fragrance oil or finished perfume. Each form needs different evidence and a different method of use.
How do you pronounce agarwood and oud?
In English, “agarwood” is commonly said as “AG-er-wood,” while “oud” is commonly pronounced like “ood.” Transliteration and regional speech vary, so a spelling such as oud, oudh, jinkō or gaharu should be treated as a name in context—not as an authentication feature. A seller’s preferred pronunciation cannot establish botanical source or grade.
What are Aquilaria and Gyrinops?
Aquilaria and Gyrinops are accepted genera in the plant family Thymelaeaceae. As reviewed on August 13, 2026, Kew’s Plants of the World Online recognizes 21 accepted Aquilaria species and nine accepted Gyrinops species. The counts can change with taxonomic revision, so a scientific name should be checked against a current botanical authority rather than copied from an old sales label.
A living tree is not itself “a block of oud.” Agarwood develops when resin-related defensive and wound responses change portions of wood over time; much of a tree can remain pale and low in resin. Species identification, resin assessment and commercial grading are separate questions. Read the tree taxonomy and identification guide and the formation-process guide for those boundaries.
What do aloeswood, eaglewood, gaharu and jinkō mean?
They are common, trade or cultural names associated with agarwood, not separate botanical grades. “Aloeswood” does not mean the succulent genus Aloe. “Eaglewood” is an English trade name. Gaharu is widely used in Southeast Asian trade, while jinkō or jin-koh is used in Japanese contexts. Spelling and scope vary across documents and markets.
Translate the label into evidence fields: exact product form, declared botanical taxon, source category, country and facility where relevant, batch or lot, mass or volume, processing method and applicable trade documents. The name can help communication; the accompanying record supports the claim.
Are kinam, kynam and kyara the same?
They belong to an overlapping family of high-value agarwood terms, but there is no single worldwide rule that makes every use equivalent. Research papers use forms such as Kynam, Kyara, Qi-Nan and Kanankoh for selected materials, and some compare wild Kynam, cultivated grafted Kynam and ordinary cultivated agarwood. Those study labels describe the authors’ samples and classification method; they do not create a universal commercial standard.
Peer-reviewed work has reported distinctive chemical or heating profiles in particular Kynam/Kyara sample sets, including differences in 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone derivatives and incense volatiles. That evidence is useful for the tested samples. It does not show that spelling, color, softness, aroma, price or one seller’s certificate can authenticate any untested item.
| If a seller claims “kinam,” “kynam” or “kyara” | Ask for |
|---|---|
| Botanical identity | Declared genus and species, identification method and who performed it |
| Source | Wild, cultivated, induced, grafted or other defined category; location and legal chain |
| Grade | The named grading system, measurable criteria and sample condition |
| Chemical claim | Batch-linked method, chromatogram or report—not a generic chart for another sample |
| Provenance | Lot history, seller identity, invoice and applicable CITES or domestic records |
Oudgo therefore treats these terms as claims requiring scope, not as stand-alone guarantees. This is also why a country name or romantic prefix such as “royal,” “super,” “green” or “black” is not a standardized grade by itself.
What does sinking-grade agarwood mean?
In a stated water test, a sinking wood sample has bulk density greater than the liquid under those conditions. Resin-associated material can raise density, so sinking behavior is used in some trade and grading systems. Recent research on 24 batches found that completely sinking samples had measured density above 1.0 in that experimental system and identified compositional differences among density groups.
The result is still one measurement. Shape, trapped air, surface coatings, moisture, temperature, salinity, attached material and sample selection can affect behavior. A small dense fragment does not establish the properties of an entire log or batch. Added weights, resins or fillers can also defeat a simplistic demonstration.
A sink test cannot by itself prove:
- an Aquilaria or Gyrinops species;
- wild versus cultivated or natural versus induced formation;
- country of origin, age or harvest date;
- legal acquisition or CITES compliance;
- aroma when heated, oil yield, chemical purity or safety;
- that a piece meets another seller’s “kinam” or premium-grade definition.
Grade wood with several stated dimensions: identity, resin distribution, density and moisture method, cut and usable mass, aroma under controlled heating, defects or adulteration, provenance and the buyer’s intended use. See the agarwood authenticity evidence guide for a layered inspection workflow.
What do natural, induced, cultivated and wild mean?
These words describe different parts of the production history and should not be used interchangeably. “Wild” describes where the tree grew; “cultivated” or “plantation-grown” describes managed origin. “Induced” means a method was used to stimulate agarwood formation. Resin-associated wood may also form after natural injury and biological interaction, but “natural” needs a written definition because sellers may use it for the ingredient, formation route or lack of synthetic additives.
Cultivated material is not automatically low quality, legal or sustainable. Wild material is not automatically superior or illegal. Evaluate the actual batch and traceability chain. The sustainable cultivation and harvesting guide explains plantation records, inoculation decisions, harvest evidence and legal trade.
What is the difference between oud oil, incense and oud perfume?
Oud oil is an aromatic extract; incense is material intended for controlled heating or burning; oud perfume is a finished fragrance composition. Natural oil may be distilled from resin-associated wood, but composition varies with material and process. Incense sticks may contain agarwood, binders and other aromatic ingredients. A perfume may use natural oil, an oud accord or both.
Use the product-specific guides rather than transferring a claim across forms:
- oud oil production and evidence;
- agarwood perfume ingredients and buying;
- agarwood scent across wood, oil and incense;
- controlled heating of agarwood chips.
What do CITES, Appendix II, Annotation #14 and NDF mean?
CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; all species of Aquilaria and Gyrinops are included in Appendix II. Appendix II does not mean all trade is banned. It means international trade is controlled, with requirements determined by the listed taxon, specimen, source, annotation, countries and current rules.
- Annotation #14: text defining which parts, derivatives and specified exceptions are covered for these plant listings. Do not rely on an old paraphrase; check the current CITES listing and national implementation.
- NDF (non-detriment finding): a scientific finding by the exporting country’s Scientific Authority that the proposed export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species, as applicable.
- Source code: a code on CITES documents describing the source category under CITES rules; it is not a sensory grade.
- Trade term code: a standardized code for the specimen form in reporting, such as oil, chips or derivatives; it does not prove retail quality.
“CITES certified” is often too vague. Ask whether the seller means a permit, re-export certificate, plantation registration, domestic record or another document, and verify that it matches the taxon, form, quantity, source, dates and shipment. Requirements can differ by route; importers should confirm the current rules with the relevant national authorities.
What are provenance, traceability, batch and lot?
Provenance is the documented history of source and custody; traceability is the ability to follow material through that chain. A batch or lot is a defined group managed under one identifier. Useful records connect the physical item to the declared source, processing, quantities, transfers and applicable legal documents.
A lab report should identify the tested sample or batch and the method. A certificate with no lot link may be genuine paperwork for different material. A country name is a geographic claim, not a grading method; a species can occur in more than one country, and material from one country can vary widely.
Frequently asked questions
Is oud another word for agarwood?
Often, yes. Oud or oudh is a common name for agarwood and related aromatic material. In perfumery, “oud” can also name an oud-style accord, so the label alone does not prove natural agarwood content.
Are kinam, kynam and kyara a botanical species?
No. They are overlapping trade or cultural terms used for rare or high-valued agarwood categories. Definitions vary, and the words are not accepted botanical genus or species names.
Does sinking agarwood prove that it is genuine?
No. Sinking records density behavior for a particular sample and test. It does not alone prove species, source, legality, aroma, overall grade or freedom from adulteration.
Are Aquilaria and Gyrinops the same genus?
No. They are two accepted genera in the Thymelaeaceae family, and both contain agarwood-producing species. A genus name still does not prove that every part of a tree contains valuable resin.
Does plantation-grown agarwood need CITES documents?
Plantation origin is not an automatic universal exemption. Requirements depend on the taxon, product form, source, annotation, route and current national implementation; verify the specific transaction with the relevant authorities.
Is oud oil the same as oud perfume?
No. Oud oil is an aromatic raw material or extract. Oud perfume is a finished fragrance that may contain natural oil, a reconstructed oud accord, or both.
Editorial method and limitations
Last substantive review: August 13, 2026. Oudgo Editorial Team compared current Kew taxonomy, CITES terminology, ITTO–CITES trade guidance and peer-reviewed work on agarwood grading and Kynam/Kyara sample sets. We removed universal chemistry values, religious claims and national scent stereotypes that were not supported by the evidence available for the former pages. We did not authenticate a commercial sample for this glossary. Terms and regulatory treatment can change; product and shipment claims require current, batch-specific evidence.
Sources
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Aquilaria in Plants of the World Online
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Gyrinops in Plants of the World Online
- CITES — Glossary of Agarwood Products
- CITES — current Appendices and annotations
- ITTO and CITES — Expensive, Exploited and Endangered, Technical Series No. 51
- Kao et al. — chemical profiles of incense smoke from Kynam and comparison samples
- Zhang et al. — cultivated grafted Kynam, wild Kynam and cultivated common agarwood comparison
- Yuan et al. — density, sinkability, color and metabolomics across 24 agarwood batches
- Amin et al. — review of agarwood grading and quality-assessment methods
