Know your Gen Z lingo!
Gone are the days of LOL and LMAO; IJBOL's now in town. These funky abbreviations have Millennials, Gen X-ers and Boomers scrambling their heads in utter confusion, wondering "What exactly is up with Gen Z?"
As a Gen Z-er myself (Or Zoomer, the term which some older folks have coined), I find the new terms and phrases we come up with and see on social media absolutely hilarious, and it seems like the fun of it all is yet to end.
So, are you in tune with the Gen Z way? Let's see if you "eat it up"!
It's Giving…
This quirky phrase is used to compare something in an over-the-top manner. It's basically another way to say something gives off a particular vibe. For example, "I love that dress, it's giving… 20th century icon!"
Ate and Left No Crumbs
Believe it or not, but this phrase is used to express that someone looks or did something amazingly. For example, one may see you did well in a test and congratulate you with a "You ate that test up and left no crumbs!"
You may be wondering where such a phrase originated from, and the earliest sources show that it came from a video of a mother eating with her child as she expresses shock at her daughter devouring her meal, expressing "Look how she ate that!". This has now evolved into similar phrases, mostly popular on TikTok.
IJBOL
This one's more popular on X (formerly Twitter). It stands for "I Just Burst Out Laughing" and has gradually become the new LOL for Gen Z users on the platform.
The earliest usage of the phrase can be found from 2009, however it gained more traction in recent times. You use it like any other abbreviation, like "I can't believe he'd do that IJBOL".
Face Card
Time to drop gorgeous, beautiful and stunning from your lingo. Here's the Gen Z way to say someone is attractive!
Just like a credit card with no limit, someone with a face card can get whatever they want because of how stunning they are. So, when someone tells you your face card never declines, take it with a smile!
Rizz
If you're on Instagram or TikTok a lot, you've probably seen this word everywhere. 'Rizz' was the chosen word of the year for 2023 by Oxford University Press.
Rizz is a shortened form of the word 'charisma', and is used to express that someone is pretty good at charming someone romantically.
So, when a guy says they've rizzed a girl up, it just means he's really good at flirting and impressing a girl.
Stan
A combination of 'stalker' and 'fan,' this one's used to express an extreme devotion to a public figure or celebrity. Stan originated from the Eminem song of the same name, which was released in 2000.
Although the meaning has watered down over the years, there are some obsessive fans who will take anything to the next level. Perhaps they stan their favourite figure a bit too much!
Based
A word used to express that you agree with someone's opinion. It's also used as an antonym to the word 'cringe' and 'biased.' Often, this term is used to agree with people when they have controversial takes.
Yap
Do you know someone who talks too much? They might be a certified 'Yapper!'
Trending on TikTok around 2023, the word is used to describe the idea of talking too much, mostly nonsense. An example would be, "Gosh, she yaps too much, she just goes on and on!"
It's also used to express that what someone is saying has no value, therefore all they're doing is 'yapping.'
Lit
Similar to words like heat and fire, 'lit' means that something is really good, extravagant, or exciting. Often times it's also expressed in emoji form, which really adds to the vibe!
Cap
No, this one doesn't mean a hat. It's another word for lie! So, when someone says 'No cap' they essentially mean they're not lying.
Like most slang words used today, the word cap originates from AAVE (African American Vernacular English), which follows another set of words and phrases different from standard English.
An example would be "You have to be capping."