Falling behind on Gen Z lingo? Pick up on these 30 in-trend words!- The New Indian Express
Online Desk
Have you ever stared blankly or had the ‘???’ face after hearing how your Gen-Z co-workers or even your kids talk? Well, you’re not alone. My ever-patient teenage brother constantly has to teach me the latest lingo. If you fear that you’re getting uncool, look no further. Here is a list of trending Gen Z vocab:
1. W/L: To most, it’s just a letter of the alphabet, but to Gen Zers, it simply means “win” and L is the opposite of a W— which is “loss.” A popular way to use this slang is to say, “That’s a big L,” which probably means what a big loss. However, if you want to say the opposite, you can say, “That’s a W.”
2. It’s giving: Here, “it” usually means something, whereas “giving” suggests that something embodies X vibes. Eg. If your friend asks for an opinion on their outfit and it’s well put together, you can say, “It’s giving queen energy.” So, whatever vibe the person or thing emits, you can say “it’s giving ____.”
3. Rizz: One of the best words I learnt was this and apparently it’s short for charisma. So to say someone has rizz means that they have got ‘game,’ or has charming qualities or is a smooth talker; especially while flirting. For instance, “Maddy tried to rizz up Tina.” or “Damn bro, he got rizz.”
4. Slay: To “slay” means to do a spectacular job. It is simply another way of saying “killing it,” be it in fashion, confidence, or performance. Say for instance if your friend posts a cool dance routine, you can comment “Slaaayyyy.” Other common usages of this word are “Big Slay” or “Slaying.”
5. On God: Or as my brother would say in text: “Ong, ong” which simply means telling the truth. Just like the phrase “I swear to God” or “I swear on my mom/dad,” “On God” sort of enforces the idea on us that the other person is actually telling the truth.
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6. Bussin’: If you want to say something is really good, use this Gen-Z slang word. “Bussin’” can be used for hotels or cars, but most use it for food. Eg. If your friends ask, “How is the food?” You can reply along the lines of “Yeah dude, the food be bussin’,” a.k.a. it’s delicious.
7. Sending me: When someone or something makes you laugh so hard to the point where you’re wheezing or about to die, try saying, “Sending me.” It could also be used for reactions like excitement, joy, or annoyance. For instance, if your friend sends you a hilarious reel, then you can respond with, “This video is sending me (skull emoji).”
8. Cap/No cap: Did you know that “to cap” about something means “to brag, exaggerate, or lie” about it in Black slang? This meaning dates all the way back to at least the early 1900s. “No cap,” then, has evolved as another way of saying “no lie” or “for real.” Although it’s currently popular with Gen Z, this phrase was mostly influenced by hip-hop culture.
9. Cheugy: Are you cool or are you cheugy? This word, used to describe “uncool” things that are either out of style or trying too hard to be in style, is believed to have been coined in 2013. Probably with time, cheugy itself may be ‘cheugy’ as slang keeps changing with time.
10. Drip: During previous generations, drip was slang for “an unattractive, boring, or colourless person.” But now if someone mentions the word, it’s actually a good thing. “Drip” refers to your look or style, particularly when it’s considered extremely fashionable or sexy (kind of like a newer version of swag). For example, “Your drip (outfit) is next level man.”
11. Hits different: Sometimes something is so awesome that it impacts you or inspires you on a whole new level. The proper Gen Z term for this is hits different. In this context, hit means “to affect severely” or “have influenced.” Let’s say you’re an AR Rahman fan and wanna talk about his songs then you can say, “Nenjame Nenjame just hits different.”
12. Main character: Do you ever wish you could be the main character in your favourite movie? Well, this phrase is used to describe someone who is generally well-liked and charismatic. It can also be used to describe someone when they’re making a scene, but not necessarily in a bad way.
13. Understood the assignment: If you spend time on social media, you’ve probably seen tweets or comments under posts about actors who “understood the assignment,” or in simpler terms, they were perfectly suited for the role they were playing. This slang phrase is used to mean that someone was successful at or totally nailed something they needed to do.
14. Salty: The Gen Z term used to refer to jealousy. If you feel salty, it means that you are jealous. Example: “I feel so salty when I see those two together.” The word can also be used to describe agitated, irritated or resentful behaviour.
15. Slaps: This is used to describe how exceptional something is. It essentially means “to be excellent or amazing.” You’ve most likely heard slap in reference to music, as in “This song really slaps.”
16. Periodt: Gen Z’s usually say this at the end of the statement so that it adds emphasis or intensity to the point made. For example, “This is the best movie I’ve ever seen—periodt.”
17. Stan: If you think its short for Stanley then you’re not quite there yet. This phrase means “I am a fan of” or “I support.” It is derived from the word “stalker fan” and is used to express admiration for a celebrity or public figure. Eg. “We stan this couple (Tomdaya).”
18. SKSKSK: If you read it as ess kay ess kay ess kay then I do not blame you because that was me as well until my brother pronounced it. This phrase is used to express excitement, laughter, or agreement. It’s often accompanied by the “finger heart” gesture. For instance, you can comment on a cute photo with, “sksksk *finger heart emoji x 2*”
19. Purr: Coined by Rolling Ray, an LGBTQIA+ influencer, “purr” is one of social media’s hottest Gen-Z slang words. It started when Rolling Ray would purr when he felt good about himself or others. So, saying “purr” is a way to express approval or contentment of something.
20. Boujee: Another hip-hop slang that stands for something “luxurious in lifestyle yet humble in character.” This term can also be used to describe something or someone that is extravagant or fancy. Also spelt bougie, it is a shortened word of the French word – bourgeois, which is used to indicate someone or something of high social status.
21. Living rent-free: If something is “living rent-free” in your head, that means you can’t stop thinking about it (no matter how much you don’t want to). Basically how a certain person or thing is having a significant impact on another individual’s thoughts or emotions.
22. I’m weak: This is quite similar to “I’m dead,” which is just another term to use when you find something so hilarious that it almost “kills you” or makes you weak from laughing.
23. Sus: Another term I learnt from my baby bro. This word is short for suspicious and means something is not as it may seem. If someone or a situation is sus or potentially shady, then you might want to stay away.
24. Vibe check: A phrase used by Gen Z folks on social media to inquire about or assess the general atmosphere or mood of a person, group, or situation. For eg. “The comments section did not pass the vibe check,” probably indicates that the users were not commenting anything pleasant or seemed negative.
25. Simp: One of the dating trends that exist within many others and was created primarily by Gen Z culture. Simp is used to typically troll a man who is desperate for the attention and affection of someone (typically a woman).
26. Lewk: A slang term used to describe a distinctive or unique style, particularly in the realm of fashion, makeup, or overall appearance. This word is a variation of “look,” a signature physical of one’s own. You can use it as a compliment by saying “Your prom dress was a lewk, indeed.”
27. Big Yikes: The slang speaks for itself in this one. This is a more intense version of the word yikes. Big Yikes is used when you’re so embarrassed that “yikes” doesn’t do justice.
28. Snack: Also spelt as ‘snacc’ is used to describe an attractive person. When you tell someone they’re looking like a snack, it means they’re looking ggooooddd.
29. Fam: A shortened term for “family” typically used to describe one’s inner circle. It’s almost like how the millennials address their closest friends as “my peeps” or “my bros.”
30. Yeet: So this one technically has two meanings. One is a word that’s essentially an exclamation of approval or excitement. The other is to describe a powerful throw. The first example: “Did you see that jump shot by him? Yeet!” Second: “He yeeted the football 30 yards!”
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