Spill the Tea on Gen Z Slang

Ever find yourself scrolling through social media and stumbling upon some seriously cryptic captions or comments? Don't worry, you're not alone. From "bop" to "sus" and everything in between, it seems like there's a whole new vocabulary to master. Let's decode the mysteries of Gen Z slang together!  


Slay

Used to celebrate or congratulate, usually in reaction to good news or something done well.

Example:

Person A:  I got into my dream college!

Person B: Slay!


Ate and left no crumbs

Having done something so phenomenal there is no critique.

Example:

In reaction to an excellent performance →  “You did so well. You ate and left no crumbs!”


Cap

Used to show disbelief or to claim someone is lying.


No cap

Used to say that one is telling the truth.

Example:

Person A: Cats love my dog.

Person B: That’s cap. Dogs and cats are natural enemies.

Person A: No cap. Cats always love to play with him. 


Sus

A shortened way of saying “suspicious”.

Example:

Person A: John isn’t coming to the dinner. He said he has to work.

Person B: That sounds sus. Everyone gets that holiday off work.


Vibe

Used to describe the general feeling of a person/people, place, or event.

Example:

Person A: What’s the vibe of the hangout?

Person B: It’s very chill and gonna be super relaxed.


Not gonna lie

Used to emphasize honesty and to share a truthful opinion, commonly abbreviated as “ngl”

Example:

Not gonna lie, I didn’t think that book was very good.


Naur

A casual way of saying no, usually used to jokingly imitate the way people in Australia say the word

Example: 

Response A: Do you eat chocolate?

Response: Oh naur, I’m allergic to it.


Gucci

(not to be confused with the brand)

Describes something/someone that is doing well.

Example: 

Person A: How are you doing?

Person B: I’m gucci. How about you?


Ok Boomer

A phrase used after someone of the Boomer generation says something wrong or strange.

Example:

Person A (Boomer): Climate change doesn’t exist.

Person B: Ok Boomer.


Stan

To support as a fan.

Example: 

Person A: Wow, you have a lot of Taylor Swift posters in your room.

Person B: That’s because I stan her so much!


Tea

(often used after “spill the”)

Gossip, juicy details.

Example:

Person A: What happened on your date? Spill the tea!

Person B: I have so much to say. I don’t even know where to start!


Fam

Close friends.

Example:

The fam and I are going to the party.


Bop

A good song.

Example:

I love this song, it’s such a bop!


Glow up

Describes a person’s improvement on the inside and/or outside.

Example:

Drew looks so good. I can tell he has had a glow up.


Vocabulary List:

Phenomenal (adjective): Describes something that is outstanding or terrific

Critique (noun): Constructive criticism

Suspicious (adjective): Something or someone that seems untrustworthy

Emphasize (verb): To highlight or draw attention to

Abbreviated (adjective): Shortened

Imitate (verb): To copy

Boomer (noun): Someone of the Baby Boomer Generation, refers to many older adults/senior citizens

Improvement (noun): Something/someone that has clearly been made better


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Phoebe McChesney is a student at Oberlin College in the United States, majoring in Politics. She has interned in the U.S. House of Representatives and served as a Page in the U.S. Senate. Phoebe would love to work in Congress, with a federal agency, or on foreign policy and international relations one day. She is a blogger for her college and is interested in America House Kyiv’s Ukraine-American work.

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