What does fair dinkum mean?
Fair dinkum is an Australian expression meaning genuine, honest or true. People say it to stress that something is real, as in is that fair dinkum? or he's a fair dinkum bloke.
The phrase dates back to the nineteenth century. Dinkum once meant hard work in English dialects of the Midlands, and the meaning shifted in Australia to something honest or genuine.
Fair dinkum can be used as a question to check whether someone is serious, or as a statement of sincerity. It is often linked to the idea of being a true Australian.
Old-fashioned but loved
Today, fair dinkum is considered somewhat old-fashioned and is used more by older Australians or for humorous effect, but most people still understand it.
During the First World War, Australian soldiers were sometimes called the Dinkums, and the word dinky-di also came to mean authentic and truly Australian.
Politicians have used the phrase in slogans, and it often appears in advertising for Australian-made products. Some claim it comes from Chinese words for real gold, but language experts say there is no evidence for this.
Did You Know?
Dinky-di, meaning genuine or truly Australian, comes from the same root as dinkum.