One minute Gen X-ers and millennials are saying things like "that's so rad" or "my eyebrows are on fleek" and the next they're parents and have no idea the words coming out of their kids' mouths. Some phrases are more recent and have origins of this Gen X group of teens. But a lot of these phrases are directly from African American Vernacular English, also known as AAVE. While it's been debated what it means to have these phrases adopted by non-Black people, and attributed to teenagers, teens are using them and it's good to have an understanding where they come from.
Some phrases or texting abbreviations and letters are kinda obvious to all people, such as what a "Karen" is, while others like "Bet" aren't so straightforward. For those that need decoding, we're here to help.
No Cap
No cap translates to "no lie" or "I'm not lying. Used in a sentence, teens would say something like, "I saw the teacher do this weird thing in class today, no cap." Or, if someone asks if something is true, a response could be "no cap." Such as, "Did you really get Beyoncé tickets?" "I did, no cap." Similarly, "no capping" means "no lie."
Bussin'
Bussin' means something is so so good. Like really good. For example, if you bite into a delicious cookie, you'd say, "That cookie is bussin'." It's a way to add emphasis to something without saying the overused "amazing." It's apparently used to describe food a lot of the time.
Simp
Simp can be a noun, a simp, or someone that shows over-the-top attention to another person, typically used to describe a man or guy who really likes someone, usually a woman or girl, and does what they want or is "submissive" to them. As a verb, simping, it means the act of "groveling" or sucking up.
Not You … [Doing XYZ]
Slang phrases tend to be in double negatives and this one is one of the favs. "Not you … " can be used to praise someone or expressing surprise in a positive way that someone is doing something. For example, if a friend goes out of their comfort zone to raise their hand in class, a friend could say, "not you becoming a star student." Or, "Not you killing it in class today."
Bet!
Bet can mean a few things, but mainly things like "yes," "let's do it," "let's go," or "OK." For example, if someone says, "I'm going to test you on state capitals." A response someone may say is, "Bet." Another example of bet, is if something says, "I bet you won't call Stacy tonight." Saying "bet" is a way of saying "challenge accepted" or "it's on."
Bruh
Bruh is one of teen's favorite terms to say and it basically is a more demeaning form of "bro" as in "Bro what?" or "OK dude, sure." It can also be used as a form of surprise or shock to something. For example, upon hearing that Nick and Kelly made out, a text response of "bruh" would make sense.
Ship
"Ship" comes from the word "relationship" and that can help with remembering what it means because "to ship" means wanting two people to be together or supporting that relationship or even help make it happen. An example of it used in a sentence is, "I ship Casey and Dan" or, "I ship that" aka a potential relationship.
Don't be 'sus'
"Don't be sus" or "That's sus" translates to don't be suspicious or weird or something is suspicious or questionable, respectively. In other words, to say something is "sus" means that it's not being truthful or trustworthy, literally coming from the word suspect or suspicious.
It's Gucci
"It's Gucci" simply means, it's all good, or we're fine or it's OK. It can also mean something is nice or fashionable, given that the main part of the phrase is the same as the designer fashion label, Gucci. One of the many terms from AAVE used by the masses and sounds cool.
Deada--
"Deada–" translates to "I'm not joking or lying" or "I'm extremely serious." As a shortened form of "deada– serious" in a conversation, when someone says "did that really happen?" for instance, one could respond "deada–." Or, someone can say, "I saw this happen, deada–." Or "Deada– I just saw a mouse run by."
It's Giving
The phrase "it's giving" is blowing up in popularity among teens and it means "the vibe or feel of something." It can be said alone, just "it's giving," meaning that whatever is being described is super cool. The phrase can also be used with a noun after to describe what something feels like, or to compare it to something. For example, if one were to see a piece of zebra-print clothing in a thrift store, they can say "It's giving 2007."
Body Count
"Body count," despite sounding like a phrase a police officer would use, actually means the number of people that someone has had sex with. It's usually used as a question, such as "what is your body count?" It typically doesn't include other sexual acts.
I Stan
"Stan" means to be a huge, super fan of something or someone, or really support something. It's supposedly originating from the combination of "stalker" and "fan." The term was made popular by Eminem's hyper-devoted fan track "Stan," which was released in 2000. As a noun, it's used like this: "I'm a Selena Gomez stan." Used as a verb sounds like this, "I stan Selena Gomez." Or, "I stan pro-choice politicians."
Drip
"Drip" basically means someone's style or outfit. "I like his drip" or, "He's got a nice drip" is a way of saying he's got great style or I like his look. The term came from the hip-hop world and can refer to jewelry, clothing, a whole look, or simply how someone carries themselves.
Tch Tch
We're not sure if this counts as a phrase but the teens are using it so we guess it does! And that phrase is "tch tch" which according to Oxford dictionary is used "to express irritation, annoyance, or impatience." For example, "Tch, why would she say that?"
Rizz
"Rizz" is another word for "game" or according to Dictionary.com being able to "skillfully charm or seduce" a romantic partner. It's a noun and a short form of charisma and per the website The Tab, the word was "coined by Kai Cenat, a YouTuber and Twitch streamer who's big on social media." Someone can have "rizz."
IYKYK
IYKYK translates to "If you know you know." You may be asking, what do I know? And well, you'll only know if you know. Seriously though, it is used to talk about things that are specific to a group of people. For instance, girls who deal with menstruation may post a pic of a heating pad and write "IYKYK" with it.
They Gave Me the Ick
Having "the ick" or someone giving you "the ick" means that they gross you out or creep you out. You're more than unattracted to them because of something they say or do or how they behave. It was supposedly coined by a Love Island UK reality show contestant in 2017.
Hard or Soft Launching
Hard launching means that someone is announcing their relationship on social media officially, typically on Instagram with a photo. It's the opposite to soft launching, which means hinting on social media that one is in a relationship or seeing someone without actually saying so or announcing it.
Skrrt
"Skrrt" literally speaking, out loud, represents the tiring screeching noise. It's a phrase that means the need "to get away" from something. An example in a sentence from Urban Dictionary is "That situation got so awkward I had to skrrt right outta there." It is also used as an exclamation in rap music.
