A Parent’s Guide to Popular ‘Bluey’ Terms...

If you're wondering what bin chicken or taking a bush wee in 'Bluey' means, we've got you covered.
BBC Studios / Disney+' title='Image from the new season of 'Bluey''>

BBC Studios / Disney+

Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah ScottIf you’re like many of the 60-something million American parents, you’re probably already a Bluey super fan. But if you’ve been tempted to turn the subtitles on when Bluey chases a bin chicken or Bingo takes a bush wee, well mate, you’re in good company.As an Australian expat raising two small children abroad, there are fewer things that make me more homesick than an episode of Bluey. Packed with lovable reference points, Bluey celebrates the laid-back Aussie charm and culture I recognize from my childhood. Despite living thousands of miles away from Australia today, watching Bluey with my kids has become a way to introduce them to our shared heritage. For instance, I grew up with surf and sunshine in a place where sausage sizzles and fairy bread were two of my five-a-day. I knew not to dob or say the word "dunny" and I expected a shorts-wearing Santa to climb into my house every summer.But, if you didn’t grow up in Australia, some of what you see and hear on Bluey might feel like a foreign language or an inside joke. Until now.Although you don’t need to know Australian terms to keep up with the Heelers, sometimes it helps to have a little inside knowledge. With new Bluey Minisodes freshly streaming this month, I’ve untangled some of the Aussie jargon so you don’t have to. Now, as Bluey says, let’s do this!BilbyA bilby is a lesser-known Australian animal with a pretty shady past. For some time it tried to steal the limelight from the beloved Easter Bunny with campaigns celebrating the Easter Bilby as a way to raise awareness for the endangered marsupial. Growing up, this was quite the controversy (yet I still devoured chocolate Easter Bilbies all the same).Part rabbit, part bandicoot, but definitely not purple, we love our bilbies regardless of their status as an Easter rival. Bingo takes a brightly-coloured puppet bilby home from Kindy to spend time with the Heelers in the episode “Bob Bilby.”Bin ChickenA bin chicken is possibly the most misleading (and unflattering) nickname for an animal since the trash panda. But let’s be clear, it’s not exactly a chicken—it’s an Australian white ibis. As its moniker implies, bin chickens try to scavenge food wherever they can, particularly in and around bins (a "bin" is Australian for trash, by the way). Bluey and Bingo find it hilarious to chase one of these native birds in episode “Piggyback” and Bandit’s hand puppet, Shaun, scares another in the episode “Shaun."Although they’ve earned a reputation for being somewhat of a local pest, bin chickens are also somewhat on trend, featuring on local merchandise and were even touted as a potential mascot for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. (Fun fact: Bluey is now also a hot contender.)BiscuitsBandit’s favorite catchcry, "biscuits," is a cute alternative to an expletive most of us like to use when we’re frustrated (and let’s be honest, what parent hasn’t wanted to drop the "b" word from time to time).The most literal translation to what Australians call a "biscuit" is the American cookie, but Aussies don’t like to keep things too straight forward. A cracker you would layer with cheese could also be a biscuit. A treat you give your dog could also be a biscuit. Whatever your preferred etymology, biscuits finds its way in all sorts of Australian conversations, and now thanks to Bandit possibly the vocabulary of many family households, as well.Bum ShufflerTrust the Aussies to find a funnier, shorter, and slightly cruder way to refer to something. In this case, we’ve managed to invent a new way to describe a bottom shuffling or bottom scooting baby. As explained in “Baby Race," a bum shuffler is a baby that, well, shuffles on their bum to get around. This is usually an alternative to crawling. Although it doesn’t look particularly poised, if your baby is a bum shuffler it’s nothing to be alarmed about. Just like Bluey, they’ll figure it out in their own time.Bush WeeA bush wee is a convenient way to, um, relieve yourself in public when you’re out and about. I’m not sure too many Australians would recommend this if you’re not an animated dog, however it has a time and a place. As Bingo demonstrates in the episode, “Takeaway," sometimes there’s simply no other choice. If your child really needs to go and there’s an opportunity for discretion, a bush wee can put a stop to an otherwise urgent problem. DobbingDobbing means to tattletale, something that is frowned upon in Australian playgrounds. In the episode “Swim School,” dobbing comes under the spotlight when the Heelers "dob" on each other to win points with their teacher. Ultimately, Bingo declares she doesn’t like dobbing on her family so it’s a great one for introducing kids to the concepts of tact and loyalty. Ah, morals, another reason we just can’t get enough of Bluey. Side note, sometimes it’s absolutely appropriate to dob on wrongdoing, but calling someone a "silly old watermelon head" probably isn’t justifiable grounds.Duck CakeSticking with the party theme, the episode “Duck Cake” is a nod to the famous Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book, which was a staple in the 1980s and 1990s (not showing my age, just saying). One of the most popular was the duck cake. Watching Bandit assemble the hardest of all cakes, in the episode “Duck Cake,” brings me right back to my elementary school party circuit.No doubt these memories are shared with other Australian parents who blew out the candles on their parents’ own attempts at a Women’s Weekly masterpiece. For Australian parents today, this is nothing short of iconic.DunnyOne of the more controversial additions to this list is the word "dunny." A dunny is a toilet, but it’s not a word royalty would use. In the episode “Dunny," Chili tries to discourage the kids from using the word which prompts a debate of its appropriateness. Many Aussies will find this particularly funny because we remember our parents having similar discussions with us when we were children. As Chili says, "I just want us to use nice words so everyone thinks we’re a nice family." From one parent to another, you can’t argue with that.Fairy BreadI didn’t realize Australian children’s parties had their own national traditions until I left the country but trust Bluey to bring back the nostalgia. Every Australian children’s birthday party served fairy bread and now that I’m an adult I realize why—it’s the ultimate mom hack.Fairy bread is quite simply white bread lathered in thick butter from crust-to-crust and covered in hundreds and thousands sprinkles. The kids love it! No wonder party parents put out a plate in the episodes “Handstand” and “Pass the Parcel.”Grey NomadsA "grey nomad" is an endearing term for a retired Australian who spends extended periods traveling on the road. Usually they’re in a caravan or motorhome with comfortable luxuries afforded to deserving retirees. But with all that extra time on their hands, grey nomads are known for driving slower than, say, a family of Heelers would like them to. That’s why in the episode “Road Trip” Bandit is keen to avoid driving behind them.Sausage SizzleTim Tams, Vegemite, Chris Hemsworth—we’ve exported a multitude of Australian icons over the years, but arguably none is more culturally significant than the sausage sizzle. The instructions are pretty straight forward: take a slice of bread, place the sausage on the diagonal, add a drizzle of tomato sauce (ketchup), and a generous layer of grilled onions. Done.Not only do we Aussies make sure they are a staple on every BBQ (shrimps on barbies are so 1984) but you’ll find them on sale under a charity marquee outside our national hardware chain, Bunnings, every weekend. And yes, sometimes that’s a reason in itself to go.Look out for Bluey and Bingo eating a sausage sizzle at Bluey’s Bunnings equivalent, Hammerbarn, in the episode “Hammerbarn.” And if you’re game, give it a go at home. You may also be giving some of these terms a go, too.While translating new words like these makes for interesting conversations with a child or toddler, Bluey’s success doesn’t hinge on an understanding of Australian language and culture. As a mom, regardless of the country I call home, Bluey is a reminder to stay present and playful and to not take ourselves too seriously despite the challenges that unite us as parents. That said, I bet you’re glad you now know what a bin chicken and a bush wee is. For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.

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