![Youth on their phones](/sites/empowersurrey/files/styles/21x9_1100w/public/2021-03/Youth%20on%20Phone_0.jpg?h=19e775b2&itok=_6c62yLn)
Youth Slang
Empower yourself by becoming familiar with terms young people are using to communicate with their peers.
Using the common language of slang creates a sense of togetherness for youth, independent of parents and other adults.
As a champion for youth, becoming familiar with these terms may empower you to take action by starting positive conversations on tough topics, building strong connections and decreasing risk.
Warning: This section contains unfiltered language that may be considered to some people as derogatory or traumatizing.
The purpose of sharing this content is to empower caregivers, parents and trusted adults to better understand language that may be used by young people in Surrey.
General Youth Slang
Today's youth slang changes quickly and is influenced by social media. Youth use these words to exert independence, sound cool and fit in with their peers.
ATM
At the moment
Baller
Cool/ stylish/ expensive
Bet
Agree
Bounce
Let's leave/ let's get out of here
Cancelled
Bad Publicity. Cancel culture (or call-out culture) is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles – whether it be online, on social media, or in person.
CD9
Code-9 means parents are around
Dead
Funny/ unbelievable
Extra
Over the top
Fire
Cool/ awesome
Flex
Show off
G2G/GtG
Good to go
Go-off
To hype someone up
Gucci
Cool/Awesome
Hella
A lot or a synonym for "really"
HundoP
100% sure about something
IDKWTD
I don't know what to do
Lit
Cool/awesome
NM
Nothing Much
No Cap
No lie
Noob
Inexperienced
OC
Open Crib- means parents won't be home
OG
Acronym means Original Gansta- which means the first or original version of something
Ridic
Ridiculous
Salty
Being upset over something
Shade
Disrespectful manner
Slay
Succeed
Stan
A crazed fan
TBH
To be honest
Tea
Gossip
Online and Social Media
Interaction with technology and social media can increase positive communications as well as negative ones. Open communication about interactions on social media is the best way to protect youth from being vulnerable online.
#FBF/TBT
Flashback Friday/ Throwback Thursday
An internet trend used among social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. On a Thursday or Fridays, Users will post nostalgia-inducing picture – from a different era of their life, accompanied by the hashtag #TBT or #FBF
#igers
#igers simply means "Instagrammers". If you tag your photo with this hashtag, it means you're using Instagram. It should go without saying, yet the hashtag became popular as a means to build a community
#nofilter
Picture that was taken or posted without a filter
AMA
Ask me anything
AMOSC
Add me on snap chat
ASL
Age/ Sex/ Location
ASL is most commonly used in online chat and text messaging with the meaning "Age? Sex? Location?", to determine a person's key personal details
DM
A direct message — DM — is a one-on-one conversation with another user hosted on a social media platform. Most of the places you spend your time online like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn and so on offer some form of DM communication
To “slide into the DMs” is slang for sending someone a direct message on Instagram or twitter, often with romantic intentions in mind. The idea is to come off as cool and slick, in hopes that the other person will write back
F4F
Follow for follow.
F4F is an acronym used on social media, mainly on Instagram, to stand for follow for follow. Users will post this after following other users in the hopes they will follow back. It is most frequently used as a hashtag
FOMO
Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a social anxiety stemming from the belief that others might be having fun while the person experiencing the anxiety is not present.
IG
Instagram is a photo sharing app which allows users to assign filters to photos and share them with followers
A texting term for someone crying
RT
Re-tweet
A Retweet is a re-posting of a Tweet. Twitter's Retweet feature helps you and others quickly share that Tweet with all of your followers. You can Retweet your own Tweets or Tweets from someone else
Selfie
Picture of yourself
Snap
Snapchat
When you take a photo or video, or receive a photo or video, it is known as a “snap”. So, when someone asks you to snap them, they are asking you to send them a photo or video through Snapchat, or even a message through the app's chat function
Story
Social media feature where you can add photos/ videos that are viewable for 24 hours
WTGP
Want to Go private? Often used when someone the recipient if he or she wants to enter a private chat session
WYA
Where you at?
YOLO
“You only live once,” is sort of a teen interjection for “Carpe Diem.” Only it's short on the noble idea of living life to its fullest — and more focused on brash decisions and their consequences
YOLO also refers to an anonymous question and answer app that is used within Snapchat. Users can post anonymous questions and comments on a Snapchat story and also attached an image
Drugs and Alcohol
Drugs typically have street names and code names. Understanding slang related to drugs and drug use empowers parents to understand what their youth are involved in and to be better equipped to start a conversation about it.
420
420, 4:20, or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) is cannabis culture slang for marijuana and hashish consumption, especially smoking around the time 4:20 p.m., and also refers to cannabis-oriented celebrations that take place annually on April 20
Burnout
Heavy drug user
Clucking
Withdrawal- the combination of physical and mental effects that a person experiences after they stop using or reduce their intake of a substance such as alcohol and prescription or recreational drugs.
Cold Turkey
"Cold turkey" refers to the abrupt stopping of substance use and the resulting unpleasant experience, as opposed to gradually easing the process
Cooker
Person who uses drugs heavily
Dial-a-Doping
Or "dialer" is an individual that delivers drugs at any time in the day or night
DOC
Drug of choice
Faded
Drunk or Intoxicated
🍭
Drug user or drug supplier
Molly
MDMA
Ecstasy is a stimulant drug that can cause hallucinations. It is known as a designer drug because it was created for the purpose of making someone feel high. The drug is popular with teens and young adults who go to clubs, concerts, or "rave" parties.
PNP
PNP is an acronym for “Party and Play” – a term used to describe engaging in sexual activity while under the influence of illegal drugs.
Snowflake ❄
Cocaine
Snowflake also refers to an overly sensitive person. Someone who is easily hurt or offended by the statements and actions of others.
Turnt
Under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Zombie
Heavy drug user
Violence and Bullying
Hateful and mean online slang terms are commonly found on social media. Sometimes, young people who are bullied online are at a higher risk for self harm and suicidal behaviour.
Many slang words related to violence and bullying are dangerous and could refer to illegal activity.
A3
Anytime. Anywhere. Anyplace
Using A3 could refer to an arrangement to have sex, buy drugs or fight
Beef
To have a grudge or to start conflict with another person
KMS/KYS
Kill myself / Kill yourself
Merked
Really drunk or beaten up
Slept
To knock someone out. Can refer to hitting someone hard enough to knock them out.
Could also refer to missing out on something awesome.
Troll
Trolling is defined as creating discord on the Internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people by posting inflammatory or off-topic messages in an online community. Basically, a social media troll is someone who purposely says something controversial in order to get a rise out of other users.
Zerg
To gang up on someone
Sex and Sexual Exploitation
Online predators aren’t strangers to the internet when it comes to targeting teens and have adopted the same online lingo that youth are using as a way to communicate with and relate to them.
Sharing intimate images online is risky behaviour for young people, sometimes leading to highly exploitative situations.
Some predators have used intimate images that have been willingly shared online to blackmail a youth, recruit them into sex work and/or lure them into a human trafficking situation.
✅
This emoji signals hard yes. Definitely yes, or a Super Yes.
In a sex work transaction this could indicate few restrictions.
🍒
The cherry emoji in some sex work contexts refers to virginity or underage.
Another meaning for the cherry emoji is testicles.
👑
Using this emoji indicates that the person has a pimp
💎
Best of the Best.
🌸
In a sex work context, the cherry blossom emoji refers to inexperienced
💋 or 👅
Oral Sex
🍑
Mainly used to represent a butt / bum / bottom / "ass" in digital communication. Known as the "butt" emoji.
🐱
The cat face emoji signifies a slang name for vagina which is another name for a cat: pussy.
⭕
This emoji signifies Anal sex. In the context of sex work, using this emoji may indicate the person will engage in anal sex.
🌹
A guarded way of saying 'Money for sex.' A "Rose" is $100 USD. To bring "roses" implies multiples of $100. If she wants a Dozen Roses she wants $1200.
When searching personal ads there will be a lot of ads with women requiring roses. Usually they literally instruct people calling on them for a "Date" to "bring roses."
When someone is being sexually exploited, the pimp, or the person posting their add may also use this term.
❌
Hard no. Absolutely no
Boyfriending
Boyfriending / girlfriending is when an exploiter manipulates a youth into thinking they are in a relationship
Capper
A capper is an individual who tricks kids into committing a sexual act over live stream while screen capturing or recording a video. Some cappers will use the child’s images/videos to extort them for more sexual images or money. Often conversations start on popular social media platforms, and then the capper will ask youth to move to another video chat platform.
Cyber
A term for sex online
DATY
Dining at the Y- Performing oral sex on a woman with her legs in the shape of a "Y"
Dime
An Attractive Person. A 10 on a 1-10 scale
DTF
Abbreviation for "Down to F***"
F2F
Face to Face
FYEO
For your eyes only
GFE or 😘
The kissing emoji or the acronym GFE refer to "girl friend experience".
The Girlfriend experience refers to when a female escort or sex worker provides an experience that includes kissing, cuddling, and hugging.
GNOC
Get Naked on Camera
LG Party
A party where older youth invite “LGs/LBs” to exchange sex acts for popularity, drugs, alcohol or acceptance
LG/LB
Refers to “Little Girl” or “Little Boy” who are perceived as a target for exploitation
Only Fans
Online content subscription service which is typically subscribed pornography
PAP
Post a picture
RU/18
Are you over 18?
Sextortion
Sextortion is blackmail. It’s when someone online threatens to send a sexual image or video of the child/youth to other people if they don’t pay the person or provide more sexual content
Sugar Baby
A young female or male who is financially supported by a sugar momma or sugar daddy in exchange for companionship with can include sexual favors
Sugarpic
A nude, partially nude or suggestive picture
Thicc
A sexualized term for a desirable body
Thirsty
A synonym for someone who is sexually eager
WTTP
Want to Trade Pictures?
Dating and Relationships
Understanding slang used by youth to describe their dating experiences is empowering knowledge for parents, caregivers, trusted adults and youth allies.
Not only does it provide insight into what is happening in the young person's life, it also equips parents with the background information needed to share helpful advice.
53X
"53X" is leet speak for "sex." Leet speak is a form of communication that replaces common letters with similar-looking numbers.
BAE
Before Anyone Else- typically used for a girlfriend or boyfriend
Benching
Benching, or breadcrumbing, occurs when someone a youth has been dating or talking to suddenly stops agreeing to meet in person. However, the person still contacts your teen through text, direct message, and over social media.
Basically, these people are trying to keep your teen on the bench while they play out their other options. This can be a sign of an unhealthy relationship.
BF/GF
Boyfriend/ Girlfriend
Cuffed
To be locked into a committed relationship
Deepliking
Deepliking is a way for a youth or others to show that they like someone by scrolling through old social media posts and liking them. These likes are usually on photos and posts that are months or sometimes even years old.
FWB
Friends with benefits
Ghosting
Ghosting someone is to completely ignore them suddenly. Usually a nasty way of breaking up with someone
ILU/ILY
I love you
IMU
I miss you
IRL
The acronym IRL stands for "in real life" and means that the relationship has progressed from just talking or texting to an actual, in-person date. Most teens only date people they already know offline through school, clubs, or other venues. However, it is common for the beginning stages of flirting to occur online before progressing to an "official" in-person date.
Left me on read
When someone is "left on read," what this means is that they can see that their significant other has read their text message, but has not responded—sometimes for days. This is frustrating for teens, and adults for that matter, especially if they were discussing something important.
LYAAF
Love You As A Friend
Netflix and Chill
To meet under the pretense of watching Netflix/TV together when actually planning to meet for sex
Zombieing
Zombieing occurs when the person who ghosted your teen suddenly makes an appearance in their life again. It is like they have come back from the dead.
Physical and Mental Health
Health issues (both mental and physical) can be difficult for youth to discuss openly. Sometimes using slang words to describe their situation helps a teen open up about a tough issue. At the same time, however, this can also put them at risk online.
#sue
Suicide
DIRL
Die in real life, a phrase which may be used to upset someone or encourage them to commit suicide.
HML/FML
Hate my life/ F*** my life