Gen Z slang is always changing, and it can be hard to keep up with TikTok slang to understand what’s going on on your FYP. This year, we’ve seen everything from cheugy fashion to rizz kings and Heathers. TikTok has birthed so many trends and phrases this year that even Gen Z themselves struggle to keep up. But fear not, we present to you your ultimate guide to keeping up with the times so you can converse in true Gen Z fashion…
Via @dudewithsign on Instagram
Gen Z’s 2023 TikTok slang round-up:
Demure
Rooting from Puerto-Rican blogger, Jools Lebron, this TikTok viral phrase is all over social media at the moment! It is code for being modest, reserved and classy. Coupled famously with being ‘very mindful’, this is supposedly the best way to carry yourself!
Fit check
Simply put, it’s an outFIT check. It means explain your OOTD from head to toe!
Roman Empire
How often do you think of the Roman Empire? This TikTok- generated trend had people asking their boyfriends how often they think of the roman empire… soon evolving into a phrase referring to something one thinks about often.
Rizz
Rizz is officially the word of the year for 2023, or at least, according to the Oxford University Press! The TikTok slang word is the Gen Z way to say someone has game or is a good flirt. Many TikToks describe certain ways to attain ‘rizz’, or exemplify how someone possesses it, e.g. “He must have some serious rizz”.
Pete Davidson’s rizz needs to be studied at Harvard https://t.co/xiO5WTGAoP
— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) November 28, 2022
Delulu
Rizz is to charisma what delulu is to delusion. what rizz is to charisma. Delulu is a cutesy abbreviation for delusional, as in, “I’m acting delulu”. It is also part of a trend on TikTok that claims being delusional, or delulu, is a good way to manifest your goals and aspirations. The phrase “being delulu is the solulu” simply means, being delusional is the solution to getting what you want.
me and my delulu self against the world
— ًًََ (@klsayazl) May 23, 2023
Mother
The word mother is a popular TikTok slang word that has become a descriptor for iconic female pop stars and actresses — especially Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Adele. Ways the word is incorporated in phrases include, “she’s so mother,” and “mother is mothering”. The word is used in a similar way to ‘queen’ or ‘icon’.
Cheugy
Often a word that Gen Z uses to refer to millennials or what millennials like, cheugy means someone or something uncool or off-trend. It can also be used to describe something that is trying too hard and missing the mark.
Gyat
A short TikTok slang word to say “goddamn” about someone’s physical attractiveness
It’s giving ___
Something that is giving off a certain type of vibe.
Granola girl
A way of describing a type of girl that is outdoorsy and environmentally conscious. A granola girl typically enjoys hiking, outdoorsy clothes, and brands, and has a certain aesthetic on social media.
Mid
Something that is mediocre, or nothing special. The TikTok slang word is used to describe anything that doesn’t meet expectations, from movies to events and even people.
Spilling Tea
A TikTok slang way of saying you’re sharing some gossip.
Sus
People or behavior that is suspicious.
Unalive
A use of TikTok slang that is a way of describing something is dead or was killed whilst avoiding TikTok’s ban of violent words on the platform.
Ded/💀
Similar to the above, but this time it means something that is so funny that it nearly killed you with laughter. It is Gen Z’s alternative to the millennial-loved laughing emoji.
Caught in 4k
Something or someone that has been caught with sufficient evidence. This TikTok slang word is often used in a humorous way, e.g. “that reaction was caught in 4k”
Via @tscpodcast on Instagram
Cap/no cap
If someone says “cap” or uses the cap emoji (🧢) on TikTok they’re saying it’s a lie. So “no cap” means they’re telling the truth, often used to exaggerate a fact or point.
Clean Girl
The “clean girl” on TikTok is a certain aesthetic that was popular, describing a type of girl who has clear, dewy skin, slicked-back hair, and minimalist outfits.
Heather
The slang word “Heather” was inspired by Conan Gray’s song, where he describes his crush being in love with the popular and pretty “Heather” instead. Essentially, the word Heather thus became a description of an ‘it girl’ – the type of popular girl that everyone wants to be. It became a popular trend on TikTok, where people would describe the Heather in their lives that they were jealous of.
ISTG
ISTG is an abbreviation for “I swear to God”
ONG
Similarly, ONG means “On God” which is another way of emphasizing you’re telling the truth or strongly believe in something.
Pick Me Girl
A “pick me girl” is a classic case of a girl who claims they’re “not like most girls” in an attempt to get attention and validation from men. Gen Z often make fun of the pick me girl, saying she is attention seeking and not a ‘girls girl’.
Pushing P or 🅿️
If someone says you’re pushing p on TikTok, it essentially means you’re being authentic. Coined by Gunna and Future’s song “pushin P”, the “p” stands for player and means you’re being true and real.
“That” Girl
Similar to the clean girl, ‘That Girl’ is another TikTok aesthetic that refers to a type of ‘it girl’ that truly has her life together. She eats clean, gets up early, works out and is productive.
Via @tscpodcast on Instagram
Rent Free
Something you’re obsessed with, that you can’t get out of your head – essentially, a thought or a person is living in your head ‘rent free’.
W
In short, “w” is an abbreviation for “win.” It’s a way of saying that something was achieved or should be celebrated.
Beige flags
Whilst green and red flags are easy terms to understand, beige flags is a new term that is a bit more niche. Someone’s beige flag is simply a behavioral quirk they have that is charming or endearing.
Canon events
Originating from the recent Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse movie, a canon event is a term adopted to describe a painful or cringeworthy event in someone’s life that needed to happen and can’t be interrupted because shaped who they are today.
He is him/Himothy
If someone says “he is him” they are referring to someone who has done something impressive. Another way this is phrased is by calling someone a “Himothy” (a riff on the name Timothy) and “Himmy Neutron” (a riff on the fictional character Jimmy Neutron).
Millennialcore
The aesthetic of millennial and being a millennial
Girl dinner
A type of relatable dinner that is comprised of random ingredients put together, usually in an unconventional way, that makes for an easy and simple dinner with no effort.
PERIODT
A way of exclaiming or exaggerating your point at the end of the sentence. The added T makes the word crisp and very-Gen Z approach to TikTok slang.
We stan a__queen/king
To stan someone or something is to be a fan of that person or thing. When you say you “stan a _____ queen/king,” that means you’re supporting someone who truly deserves it – e.g. if a man was respectful, one might say, “we stan a respectful king”.
It really do be like that sometimes
Gen Z’s approach to – ‘it is what it is’, referring to something relatable in life.
menty b
In true TikTok slang fashion, this is a cutesy way of saying a mental breakdown.
Fr
Meaning for real, emphasizing that you agree with something.
nepo baby
A term to describe nepotism, when a famous or successful person has connections that have helped them get to where they are, suggesting they didn’t earn their success or fame on their own.
Via @justjared on Instagram
Extra
A popular word in the TikTok slang universe, being extra means being over the top and dramatic.
Drip
Usually describing an outfit or accessories that are cool.
Bet
A to-the-point way of saying ‘I agree’.
Iykyk
Abbreviation for “If you know, you know.” Used to describe an inside joke.
Finna
“Finna” refers to trying to do something or preparing to do something.
Zaddy
“Zaddy” is a new TikTok slang word referring to attractive men who give off an air of confidence.
Yassify
To yassify something or someone is to glam them up until they’re almost unrecognizable.