What does ‘slay’ mean? A parent’s guide to TikTok slang, certified by a Gen Z
‘Slay’, ‘rizz’, ‘girl dinner’ – while it may sound like a load of gibberish, it’s the internet language of today’s young generation. Take a look at a parent’s guide to TikTok slang.
Entertainment
Don't miss out on the headlines from Entertainment. Followed categories will be added to My News.
“What are you even talking about?!”
Surely this is a sentence we’ve all said to the young person in our life when they start throwing around phrases like “This is my new Roman Empire” or “It’s giving me the ick …”.
And it’s the social media platform TikTok where a lot of this youthful vernacular is created.
A Professor of Computational Communication at Brisbane’s Queensland University of Technology, Professor Patrik Wikstrom agrees TikTok is ahead of most other platforms and has a major role in producing culture.
“Like any social trend there is, people are going to be on the one [platform] that has the most attention,” Professor Wikstrom said.
“TikTok started 10 years ago, just short of 10 years … it was in that teen and pre-teen category,
“And it’s still a youthful community … even though adults, like me, are using the app, it’s still a youthful community. It’s still a young audience.”
The co-author of TikTok: Creativity and Culture in Short Video, Professor Wikstrom highlights that while TikTok can be problematic, so can all social media platforms.
“All social media platforms are problematic in one sense,” Professor Wikstrom said.
“Yes, parents – be aware of what your kids are doing online … but there’s nothing special about TikTok in that sense.”
With 8.5 million Australian users on the platform, TikTok has become a birthplace of cultural and social trends, and is what Professor Wikstrom calls “a meme machine”.
“It [TikTok] works on a recommendation algorithm,” he said.
“I think it is still the most efficient one [algorithm] there is … it takes off very quickly.
“TikTok is ahead, and in a sense, quicker than most other platforms.”
And with so much growth and culture being produced on the platform, it sometimes feels like TikTok needs its very own slang dictionary for parents to navigate.
With words like ‘finna’, ‘delulu’ and ‘GYAT’ making its way around the internet – here is your full guide to internet slang, certified by a fellow Gen Z.
READ MORE: MACKAY’S TOP 30 TIKTOK STARS RANKED
READ MORE: MEET QLD’S TOP 100 TIKTOK CONTENT CREATORS
Girl dinner
Originating as a video trend on TikTok, ‘girl dinner’ refers to a selection of snack foods or items that would typically be considered ‘sides’ that are enjoyed as a full meal by women and girls.
The hashtag #girldinner has garnered more than 200 million views on the video app, with TikTok users showcasing their wildest and most relatable takes on their interpretation of girl dinner.
Here are some examples of a ‘girl dinner’:
- A Diet Coke, chicken nuggets and two cookies
- A can of corn, a Monster energy drink and three hashbrowns with tomato sauce
- Cheese and crackers
- A banana, a hard boiled egg, a pickle and a Babybel cheese
The trend became so popular, one TikTok creator invented a ‘Girl Dinner’ song to accompany TikTok videos using the popular phrase.
Example: “Last night I ate half a box of Shapes, a Coke Zero and four cherry tomatoes – such a girl dinner.”
Rizz
Stemming from the word ‘charisma’, ‘rizz’ refers to charming or flirting with someone by ‘rizzing’ them, or, using your charisma.
Rizz was chosen as Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2023, popularised by influencers and actors including Spiderman: Homecoming star Tom Holland.
You can either ‘rizz’ or ‘rizz up’ a person, but the term can also be used in nickname form, spoofing famous celebrities and movies, for example:
- Rizzard of Oz (Wizard of Oz)
- Rizz Khalifa (Wiz Khalifa)
- The Rizzler (The Riddler)
Example: “I wanna talk to that girl over there, but I have zero rizz.”
Bussin’
Don’t fret if your child refers to your dinner as ‘bussin’’, because that’s a compliment!
‘Bussin’’ refers to when something is really good and is typically only used when referencing a food item that is even better than delicious.
Example: “This pizza is bussin’!”
Girl math
Similar to ‘girl dinner’, ‘girl math’ is a trend used predominantly by women and girls to rationalise spending money, mostly on items that are not essential.
There are various principles to girl math, but it includes common ways that we may justify an unnecessary purchase, such as:
- If it’s under $5, it’s free
- Using cash to pay means it’s free
- If I buy a $300 bag but divide it by days of the year, it’s less than a dollar a day which is practically free
Girl math can be interpreted in many different ways, with one popular example being free shipping: If shipping costs $10, but I qualify for free shipping if I spend $20 more, I’m essentially earning money if I spend the extra $20.
Sentence: “This coffee cost $5, but I paid in cash, so it’s pretty much free. Girl math!”
Slay
Perhaps one of the most widely used terms in internet language, ‘Slay’ refers to anything that is impressive, cool, or good and can be used in a multitude of different situations.
You could use ‘slay’ to compliment someone (e.g. ‘You slayed in that performance’) or even use it in agreement with something someone has said (e.g. ‘I got an A in my maths test’, ‘Slay!’).
Due to its popularity, people have begun trying to use ‘Slay’ in as many situations as possible, using it to describe days of the week ‘Monslay, Tueslay, etc.’ or their favourite movies.
Example: “My favourite movie is Hunger Games Mockingslay.”
Emojis
While emojis can be harmless most of the time, take a look at a collection of emojis that have more than one meaning in the slides below.
Beige flag
A contender for Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2023, ‘beige flag’ refers to something that sits in the middle of being a green flag and a red flag in a relationship.
While red flags are clear warning signs, beige flags are things that are not deal-breakers, but could be something that could be cause for concern further down the line.
Examples of ‘beige flags’ include:
- Only referring to their car as ‘she’
- Can’t use chopsticks
- Being a slow walker
Example: “My biggest beige flag is that I drink milk by the glass.”
Simp
A ‘simp’ or ‘simping’ is similar to that of a crush or crushing on someone and refers to a person who gives another person all their affection and attention in order to win their love.
While people can use ‘simp’ to refer to themselves or their partners in their relationship, ‘simp’ can also be used as a misogynistic insult to refer to men as ‘soft’ for trying to win affection from women without success.
But ‘simp’ is now mainly used as a new way to say you are crushing on someone, either someone in your life or a celebrity.
Example: “I’m simping over Harry Styles.”
Roman Empire
‘Roman Empire’ refers to an event, thing or situation that one thinks about very often.
The trend started when one TikTok user encouraged women to ask their boyfriends about how often they think about the Roman Empire, to which many replied that they think about it quite often.
Following this trend, the phrase became a catch-all term for things that one thinks about often, including pop culture events or niche trends.
Example: “My Roman Empire is Ryan Gosling’s performance of ‘I’m Just Ken’ at the Oscars.”
GYAT
A word with various supposed origins, ‘GYAT’ or ‘GYATT’ is a complimentary term given to someone, typically a woman, who has a large backside.
The term ‘GYAT’ is believed to be an acronym for “girl your a** thicc”, but is also rumoured to be derived from the phrase “God dayum”, putting emphasis on the first word “gyat dayum”.
Therefore GYAT can be used in two ways, referring to someone with a large butt, or to refer to something as if to exclaim ‘God dayum!’, as seen in the below sentence.
Example: “Gyat dayum, look at her GYAT!”
NPC
‘NPC’ is an acronym for ‘non-player character’ or a background character in a video game.
The term NPC gained popularity on TikTok in late 2023 when people began acting like NPCs, adopting inhuman physicality similar to the characters seen in video games such as Grand Theft Auto and posting their interpretations online.
The NPC trend really took off in late 2023 when TikTok users would pretend to be NPCs on TikTok Live, adopting robotic movements to earn gifts from viewers, bought with real money.
NPC can also be used as a derogatory term to call people boring or having behaviours and tastes that are simple.
Sentence: “You’re so boring, you’re like an NPC.”
Accountant
On TikTok, an ‘accountant’ typically refers to someone who is engaged in sex work.
The accountant trend began in July 2020 when TikTok user and actor Rocky Paterra created a song named ‘As An Accountant’.
The song is based on his own experience of how he would tell people he was an accountant instead of a struggling actor as he found “people don’t ask questions when you say you’re an accountant”.
The song became viral on TikTok and began being used as a joke by sex workers and OnlyFans content creators to discuss their jobs which are normally censored by TikTok’s community guidelines.
Example: “What do I do for work? I’m an “accountant”.”
Ick
Getting the ‘ick’ refers to something a person does that gives you a feeling of disgust, cringe or ‘ickiness’.
The term is typically used to describe something that a partner or crush does that isn’t a red flag but generates a feeling of second hand embarrassment.
Common ‘icks’ include:
- Chasing a ping pong ball
- Running to catch a train and missing it
- Talking in ‘baby voice’
- Walking back after your turn bowling
Example: “I got the ick after I saw him running with a backpack on.”
Core
On TikTok, ‘core’ is a suffix that is used to describe a certain type of aesthetic – it is typically preceded by a descriptor word.
For example, ‘Hopecore’ is a popular trend that combines a number of videos of people achieving their dreams that invigorates feelings of happiness and hopefulness.
Some of the most popular #core trends include:
- #Cottagecore: videos idealising country and rural life (e.g. gingham, flowers, farming, fields)
- #Hopecore: videos promoting happiness and hopefulness, often accompanied by Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ (e.g. Olympians winning medals, military officers returning home to loved ones)
- #Barbiecore: popularised during the release of Barbie, involves adopting a pink aesthetic (e.g. pink clothing, pink home decor)
Example: “I never skip a #hopecore video on TikTok.”
Delulu
‘Delulu’ is simply an abbreviated version of the word ‘delusional’.
The term itself comes from the internet’s Kpop fandom (fanbase) which would use ‘delulu’ to describe fans who had unrealistic expectations that they would meet and befriend their favourite Kpop stars in real life.
Example: “I thought he was developing feelings but I was just delulu..”
Canon event
A ‘canon event’ refers to an event or something that takes place in your life that makes you who you are or is pivotal to your character development in some shape or form.
Your cannon event could be moving to a different country, taking that one job offer or listening to your favourite band for the first time.
The trend was popularised after featuring as a plot point in the animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse.
In slang terms, canon events can also refer to regrettable rites of passage or coming of age experiences that ‘cannot be interfered with’, for example, dying your hair a particular colour, wearing too much eyeliner or dating the wrong person in high school.
Example: “15-year-old me listening to Panic at the Disco! for the first time was my canon event.“
Pick-me
Typically, a ‘pick-me’ or ‘pick-me girl’ is someone who puts other women down in order to win the validation of men by appearing to be “not like other girls”.
A ‘pick-me girl’ would traditionally do this by giving women back handed compliments, mainly targeting feminine traits such as wearing makeup or liking the colour pink.
The term ‘pick-me’ became popular on TikTok when people began making ‘POV’ or ‘point of view’ skit videos pretending to be a pick-me.
Example: “She’s such a pick-me girl, she always puts me down to make herself look better.”
Lore
‘Lore’ is believed to be an abbreviation of ‘folklore’ and refers to the background knowledge or details of a niche subject, thing, or topic of interest.
Lore is a popular term used among gamers in relation to the background story or little known facts about video games such as Five Nights at Freddy’s, The Legend of Zelda or Fallout.
Example: “You’re not a real Zelda fan if you don’t know all the lore.”
Ate and left no crumbs
‘Ate’ or ‘ate and left no crumbs’ is a complimentary phrase which means someone has done extremely well at something.
It can simply be said as ‘they ate’, or ‘left no crumbs’, or a combination of the two.
Example: Did you see Taylor Swift’s concert? She ate and left no crumbs.
More terms
- Finna: abbreviation of ‘fixing to’, meaning ‘about to go’ do something – “I’m finna go to the shops”
- Mid: average or ordinary
- Cheugy: refers to something off-trend, or lame – “Uggs are so cheugy”
- FYP: stands for ‘For You Page’, the video home page of TikTok
- #xyzbca: A meaningless hashtag used on TikTok videos to try and gain more views
- W: An abbreviation for ‘win’ – “I’m having KFC for dinner, such a W”
- Spill the tea: to share gossip or news
- Slaps: when something is amazing - “This spaghetti slaps”
The Killers new Aussie tour: How to get tickets
The Killers are coming to Australia again and have a very popular John Farnham song in their sights to sing in our stadiums. See how to get best tickets and watch the video.
How Miley, Robbie could entertain Aussie GP fans after court loss
Australian Grand Prix boss Travis Auld has been told to “pick up the phone” if he wants to get A-list talent back after a $5m court battle loss.