No, "Crikey" is not a bad word in Australia; it's a classic, somewhat old-fashioned, mild exclamation of surprise, shock, or amazement, a euphemism for "Christ" used to avoid actual blasphemy, popularised globally by Steve Irwin but now used less commonly by younger Aussies. It's generally harmless, fitting in with terms like "Strewth," expressing a "fair go," or just general wonder.
In Australia, "Crikey!" is an exclamation of surprise, wonder, or dismay, similar to "Oh my gosh!" or "Wow!". It's a mild oath, a euphemism for "Christ," and became famous globally thanks to the late wildlife expert Steve Irwin, though it's considered somewhat old-fashioned slang now, according to the Macquarie Dictionary and Reddit users.
Others are timeless and infamous in equal measure. Brace yourself for the cultural cringe. Our first word is crikey. This euphemism for the blasphemous exclamation Christ! isn't exclusively Australian but was taken on board by Aussie swearers with great gusto and could now be said to belong to Aussies.
“Bugger” is common in both Aussie and British slang, and vaguely refers to someone or something that is annoying. Calling someone a bugger can be used affectionately or derogatorily. The general expletive can be used in any situation, and roughly means,“F*** off/me” or “Well, I'll be damned!”
Stoked: another word for happy. Strewth: similar to crikey, strewth can be an expression of surprise or shock. Stubby: Aussies call a short bottle of beer a stubby.
crikey in American English
used to express surprise, wonder, etc.
Common Australian slang for a girl includes "Sheila" (older, sometimes dated or slightly derogatory), "chick," or just using general terms like "mate," "gal," or "lass," with context and tone being important, but "girl" is still widely used; some slang, like "moll," can refer to a girlfriend or a promiscuous woman, while "bogan" describes an unsophisticated person.
Woop Woop is used to refer to a place in the middle of nowhere. People use it to signify that a location is far away, unfamiliar to them, and difficult to get to.
Chewing open-mouthed (including chewing gum), slurping loudly, burping and talking with a full mouth are considered very rude. If you do any of these things accidentally, say "pardon me" or "excuse me." It is considered bad manners to pick one's teeth with the fingers or a toothpick in public.
"Oy oy oy" in Australia is most famously part of the patriotic chant "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!" used at sporting events to show national pride, but "Oi" also functions as a general Australian informal interjection, like "hey" or "excuse me," to get someone's attention. The chant itself comes from the British "Oggy Oggy Oggy" cheer for Cornish pasties and became popular in Australia after the 2000 Olympics.
“Crikey” “Crikey” is an old-fashioned British exclamation of surprise or amazement.
The Crocodile Hunter became successful in the United States, the UK, and over 130 other countries, reaching 500 million people. Irwin's exuberant and enthusiastic presenting style, broad Australian accent, signature khaki shorts, and catchphrase 'Crikey!' became known internationally.
Australia/New Zealand
Also in Australia, the word bloody is frequently used as a verbal hyphen, or infix, correctly called tmesis as in "fanbloodytastic". In the 1940s an Australian divorce court judge held that "the word bloody is so common in modern parlance that it is not regarded as swearing".
Crikey. Some may argue that this isn't a swear word, but it's an important English word to recognized nevertheless. Crikey is often used to show astonishment and surprise, similar to the way the word 'Christ!' is used.
Here are 5 common Aussie slang words/phrases: G'day (hello), Mate (friend), Arvo (afternoon), No worries (no problem/you're welcome), and Barbie (barbecue), with many Aussies shortening words (like Brekkie for breakfast, Servo for gas station) and using colourful terms for everyday things.
jugs(n.) "a woman's breasts," 1920, in Australian slang, short for milk jugs, from jug (n.).
Bugger. (Noun/verb/adjective) A mild profanity that's also one of the most versatile words in Australian English. Exclamation; “Bugger! I dropped some more avo on myself.”
Don't litter as it's illegal in Australia. Especially don't throw a cigarette but from your car window as many bushfires are caused by this. Don't ride a bike without a helmet. Don't go in the sun without sunscreen; the sun rays in Australia can be adangerous for your skin.
The term bogan (/ˈboʊɡən/) is an Australian and New Zealander slang word. It can be used to describe a person with a working class background. Or it can be someone whose speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour display a proud working class attitude. Sometimes the word can have a negative meaning.
The birds have also come to be regarded as a problem species in Victoria as a result of their scavenging activities, scattering rubbish from tips and bins in the process, and earning the widespread nickname "bin chicken". They are even known to snatch sandwiches from picnickers.
In this mini episode of Aussie English I explain the expressing “Far Out” which is often used as a way of expression surprise or that you are impressed by something. Improve your listening skills today – listen, play, & pause this episode – and start speaking like a native English speaker!
inferior in character or quality; seedy; sleazy.
"Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, Oi, Oi, Oi!" is a popular Australian sports chant, a variation of the British "Oggy, Oggy, Oggy" cheer, used to express national pride and support for Australian teams, with "Ozzy" being slang for "Australian" and "Oi, Oi, Oi" a general interjection for enthusiasm or attention, much like "USA!". The chant involves one group shouting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!" and the crowd responding "Oi, Oi, Oi!".
Missus. A person's wife or girlfriend. I'm taking the missus out for their birthday.
Pommy or pom
Newspapers in Australia were using the term by 1912, with it appearing first in Western Australia, and was said to be short for pomegranate, with the terms "jimmy" and "jimmigrant" also in use. The term Ten-pound Pom refers to British (subsidized) migrants to Australia and New Zealand after World War II.