Gen Z & Youth Slang

TikTok talk, zoomer vocabulary, and the language of the young

はじめに

どの世代も独自の言葉を生み出しますが、Z世代はSNSでそのプロセスを一気に加速させました。数日で無名の言葉がメインストリームになる——年上の世代がポカンとするような、めまぐるしく変化する言語の世界です。

これは単なる流行の問題じゃないんです。Z世代のスラングは、現代の経験をより正確に言い当てることが多い。「main character energy（主人公のオーラ）」「living rent-free in my head（頭の中にタダで住みついてる）」「that's giving（それ、〇〇っぽい）」は、従来の表現ではカバーしきれないニュアンスを捉えています。インターネットに育てられた世代の語彙なんですね。

この章では、一過性じゃなく定着したZ世代の表現を集めました——TikTokを超えて日常会話に入り込んだスラングです。すぐに古くなるものもあるかもしれませんが、多くはもう私たちの日常語になっています。

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この章の英語スラング一覧（85）

• Ate Did something exceptionally well; dominated.
• It's giving It reminds me of; it has the energy of.
• Bet Okay; I agree; it's a deal.
• Living rent-free Occupying someone's thoughts constantly; being unable to stop thinking about ...
• Fam Close friends; trusted people; can be used as a form of address.
• Slay To do something exceptionally well; to look amazing.
• Fire Excellent; amazing; very good.
• Bussin' Extremely good, especially food.
• Mid Average; mediocre; not impressive.
• No cap No lie; for real; seriously.
• Hits different Affects you more deeply in a particular context.
• Main character Acting like the protagonist of life; center of attention.
• Simp Someone who does too much for someone they like.
• Pick me Someone seeking validation by putting down their own group.
• Situationship Undefined romantic relationship; more than friends, not official.
• I'm dead Something is extremely funny.
• Snatched Looking perfect; flawless appearance.
• Understood the assignment Did exactly what was needed; nailed it.
• Stan Extremely devoted fan; to be a devoted fan.
• Iconic Memorable; legendary; worthy of recognition.
• Valid Acceptable; legitimate; reasonable.
• Living for it Absolutely loving something.
• Salty Bitter; upset; resentful.
• Era A phase or period of life/behaviour; used to describe current identity or focus.
• -core A suffix indicating an aesthetic, lifestyle, or fashion subculture.
• Delulu Delusional; having unrealistic hopes or beliefs.
• Roman Empire Something you think about constantly; an obsession.
• Ate and left no crumbs Did something so perfectly that nothing was left to criticise.
• Unalive Die or kill (euphemism to avoid content moderation).
• Sewerslide Suicide (phonetic spelling to avoid content moderation).
• Brainrot Internet content that corrupts your mind; or the state of having consumed too...
• Skibidi Nonsense word from viral YouTube series; used to describe absurdist internet ...
• Ohio A place or situation that is weird, cursed, or absurd.
• Gyatt Exclamation of attraction, particularly regarding someone's figure.
• Rizz Charisma; the ability to attract romantic partners.
• Fanum tax Taking a bite of someone's food without asking.
• NPC Someone who seems to lack independent thought; acting like a video game backg...
• Caught in 4K Caught red-handed with undeniable evidence.
• Ratio When a reply gets more likes than the original post; to be publicly outdone.
• Fell off Became less popular or relevant; declined in quality or status.
• Flop era A period of failure, unpopularity, or poor performance.
• Mother A woman who is iconic, nurturing, or commands respect; the best.
• Serve To deliver an impressive performance or look; to impress.
• Camp Exaggerated, theatrical, ironic aesthetics; so bad/over-the-top it's good.
• Wig snatched To be shocked, amazed, or impressed; mind blown.
• Tea Gossip, truth, or the real story.
• Shade Subtle disrespect or insult; throwing shade.
• Thirsty Desperately seeking attention or validation, especially romantic/sexual.
• Snack An attractive person.
• Glow up A positive transformation in appearance, confidence, or life circumstances.
• Ghosted Being suddenly ignored without explanation, especially in dating.
• Cheugy Outdated, uncool, or trying too hard to be trendy in a passé way.
• Cap To lie; a lie.
• Vibe Atmosphere, feeling, or aesthetic; to relax and enjoy the moment.
• Sending me Making me laugh uncontrollably; finding something hilarious.
• Receipts Evidence; proof of something, especially screenshots or recordings.
• Cancelled Publicly rejected and boycotted for problematic behaviour.
• Woke Aware of social injustice; or, pejoratively, overly concerned with political ...
• Gaslight To manipulate someone into questioning their own reality or sanity.
• Gatekeep To control access to a community, knowledge, or resources; keeping things exc...
• Girlboss A woman who is ambitious and successful; now often used ironically.
• Literally Used for emphasis, even when not literally true; intensifier.
• I can't even Expression of being overwhelmed, unable to cope or respond.
• I'm weak Expression of finding something extremely funny.
• Screaming Expression of extreme amusement or shock.
• No thoughts head empty Having no thoughts; being in a blank, peaceful, or dumb state.
• Copium Imaginary drug for coping with loss or disappointment; denial.
• Chronically online Spending too much time on the internet; having views shaped by online discourse.
• Beige flag A quirk or trait in a person that's neither good (green) nor bad (red), just ...
• Green flag A positive sign in a person or relationship; opposite of a red flag.
• Red flag A warning sign in a person or situation; something concerning.
• BFFR Be f***ing for real; expression of disbelief or demand for seriousness.
• Fr fr For real for real; genuine emphasis, not joking.
• IYKYK If you know, you know; for those who understand.
• POV Point of view; used to set up a scenario or perspective.
• Pressed Upset, bothered, or agitated about something.
• Big yikes Expression of extreme cringe, embarrassment, or concern.
• Yass Emphatic 'yes'; expression of excitement and approval.
• Main character syndrome Believing you're the protagonist of life; self-centred worldview.
• On God I swear; for real; expressing sincerity.
• Real Genuine; agreeing with truth; keeping it authentic.
• Nah I'd win Confident assertion of superiority; used humorously in hypotheticals.
• Feral Wild, unhinged, or extremely enthusiastic in a chaotic way.
• Naur Phonetic spelling of 'no' in Australian/New Zealand accent.
• It's the... for me Pointing out a specific detail, often critically or as the deciding factor.