Where "Take the mickey" Comes From
First recorded in the 1930s, "take the mickey" is not uniquely Australian — it originated as a polite British and Commonwealth rhyming slang alternative for "take the piss", stemming from "Mickey Bliss" (a fictitious character rhymed with piss). In Australia, taking the mickey became the universal social currency of authentic mateship and pub banter!
"Are you taking the mickey? That can't be the real price."
How Aussies Actually Use It
To take the mickey is to tease someone, usually in a light-hearted way. Friends do it to each other all the time, and it can be a sign of affection.
It is often followed by "out of" someone, as in "they were taking the mickey out of me". On its own, "are you taking the mickey?" means "are you joking?".
See also: Sledging (trash-talking between sporting opponents), Larrikin (a cheeky, mischievous person).
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: TAYK the MIK-ee.
In conversation:
- Are you taking the mickey? That can’t be the real price.
- They were taking the mickey out of his new haircut.
- Stop taking the mickey, mate.
Good to know: It’s used in other English-speaking countries too, and Aussies use it the same way. It’s usually teasing rather than cruel.
See also: Pull your head in
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