Gen Z & Youth Slang

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

소개

모든 세대가 자기만의 언어를 만들어내지만, Z세대는 소셜 미디어를 통해 이 과정을 엄청나게 가속화시켰어요. 며칠 만에 무명의 단어가 일상어가 되는——기성세대를 어리둥절하게 만드는, 빠르게 변화하는 언어의 세계죠.

이건 단순히 트렌디해지려는 게 아니에요. Z세대 슬랭은 현대의 경험을 더 정확하게 표현하는 방법을 제공할 때가 많거든요. "Main character energy(주인공 에너지)", "living rent-free in my head(내 머릿속에 무료로 살고 있는)", "that's giving(그건 ~한 느낌)" 같은 표현은 기존 말로는 담을 수 없는 뉘앙스를 잡아내요. 인터넷에 의해 형성된 세대의 어휘인 거예요.

이 챕터에서는 일시적인 유행을 넘어 자리 잡은 Z세대 표현을 모았어요——TikTok을 넘어 일상 대화에 들어온 슬랭이에요. 금방 구식이 될 것도 있겠지만, 많은 표현은 이미 우리 모두가 세상을 이야기하는 방식의 일부가 됐어요.

테마

이 챕터의 모든 영어 슬랭 (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.