Simp, Bussin and Cap... Here Are the Gen Z Slang Terms You Should Know
You’re so hip. You know how to rock a puffer vest and totally kept your cool when you caught your teen sexting, (well, at least in front of them anyway). But you could use a little help when it comes to internet slang. Because how else are you supposed to decipher what the hell your kids are talking about?
Below, the terms that create the most confusion among the uninitiated (ahem, parents), per digital jigsaw puzzle platform I’m a Puzzle who crunched the numbers to come up with the country’s most Googled slang terms.
Unsurprisingly, many of these words come from social media (“FYP” refers to the page a person is shown on TikTok with videos the app thinks the user will enjoy based on its algorithm, and a “Finsta” is a fake Instagram account…something your kid probably definitely has.) Other terms (like “bae“ and “woke“) come from African American Language (AAL), which as Ellen Gutoskey points out in an article for Mental Floss, “can be interpreted as both a testament to America’s growing acceptance of AAL and also to its ongoing cultural appropriation of it.”
But it’s not all bad news—you probably know some of the terms on here already. After all, “stan“ (i.e., an obsessed fan) entered the vernacular with Eminem’s 2000 hit song, “Stan“ and you know all about those Karen white privilege memes. As for the rest? Well, read on to find out.
1. Simp: “The word simp is meant to troll young men for doing anything for a girl to get some action he supposedly deserves”
2. Woke: “To be well-informed of and sensitive to cultural issues”
3. Sus: “Suspicious or suspect”
4. Bussin: “Really good, usually describes food”
5. FYP: “Abbreviation of 'For You Page,' part of the TikTok app”
6. GOAT: “Acronym for 'greatest of all time'”
7. No cap: “To say you're not lying or exaggerating”
8. Ratio: “When replies to a tweet vastly outnumber likes or retweets”
9. FOMO: “Abbreviation for 'fear of missing out'”
10. IYKYK: “Abbreviation for 'if you know, you know'”
11. Stan: “To be a very devoted fan”
12. Yeet: “Exclamation of excitement or approval”
13. YT: “White, as in skin color”
14. Bae: “Significant other”
15. Bet: “A term of agreement or approval”
16. TFW: “Abbreviation for 'that feeling when'”
17. OOTD: Abbreviation for “outfit of the day”
18. POS: “Abbreviation for 'piece of s***'”
19. AF: “Abbreviation for 'as f***,' used for emphasis”
20. Cheugy: “Uncool and untrendy”
21. Cringe: “Something that elicits embarrassment or disgust”
22. Boujee: “High-class and luxurious”
23. Karen: “Obnoxious, entitled white woman”
24. Drip: “Fashionable, stylish, or sexy”
25. Lowkey: “Quiet, discreet, or secret”
26. DC: “'Dance credit,' used to credit a person who came up with a dance”
27. Finna: “Getting ready to do something”
28. Savage: “Not caring about consequences”
29. Finesse: “To get away with something, to be manipulative”
30. Ghost: “Abruptly cut off contact with someone” (And here’s what to do if someone does this to you.)
31. Slay: “To kill, or be really good or impressive”
32. Bop: “A song or a beat is really good”
33. Gucci: “Something is great, excellent or fancy”
34. Pressed: “Stressed, upset or annoyed”
35. Fleek: “Something that’s perfectly done or well-executed”
36. Lit: “Really good, fun or exciting”
37. Salty: “Bitter, angry or upset”
38. Thicc: “A full-figured body”
39. Vibe: “A mood”
40. Flex: “To show off”
RELATED: Karen, Barbz, Stan, Who? What These Viral Internet Names Mean
