A list of Gen Z lingo that you might want to keep handy if you have them around

People born in the late 1990s and the early 2000s are the ones who are known as Gen Z. But if you are someone who hasn't been born during that time, it might often be confusing for you to be around them and to understand what it is exactly that they are talking about. To make things a little easier for you, we have come up with a list of some of the most commonly used Gen Z lingo and words that will make associating with Gen Z people a cakewalk. So much so, that you’ll definitely be someone who would have ‘understood the assignment.’ Tip: this expression is used to indicate that a person completely aced or was effective at doing something they aimed to.

Main character

Do you ever aspire to play the lead role in your favourite film? In a TikTok trend, people shared either a compilation of their lives with themselves as the main character or they recreated well-known scenes from their favourite films and TV shows as the main character. Kareena Kapoor’s Poo or Pooja Sharma from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham definitely had main character energy. Well, that’s just one of the ways you could use it in a sentence.

Vibing

If you are someone who is more used to the term ‘chilling out,’ then this word might not come as an extreme surprise to you. Vibing is the process of unwinding, embracing positive emotions, and merely soaking in the environment. This is something you usually do on the weekends or after work if you have the time.

Hits different

It happens that something amazing has such a profound effect on you or inspires you on a totally new level. This is known as hitting different in Gen Z. This usage is thought to have started with well-known LGBTQ YouTubers Daniel Howell and Phil Lester. It became more well-known in 2019 as a result of social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok. Today, hits different is frequently used in a variety of contexts.

Sus

Suspicious behaviour is indicated by the acronym 'sus,' which stands for suspect or suspicious. It gained popularity among players of the 2018 online game Among Us, in which the crew of an alien spacecraft tries to figure out who the imposters are (or die trying). So next time you spot someone acting in a way that you can't really wrap your head around, you know they’re being sus.

Stan

This phrase was first used by Eminem in the 2000 song Stan, in which a character by the name of Stan exhibits intense Eminem obsession. Despite its origins as a jab, stan has now been reclaimed by hordes of Swifties, Barbz, and other followers of certain fandoms who are happy to wear their stan-dom on their sleeves. These days, stan is written in lowercase. Stan can also be used as a verb, a practice that became popular around 2008. Swifties are fans of Taylor Swift while Barbz are those of Nicki Minaj, by the way. You’re welcome.

Sending me

You may say that something is 'sending me' when it makes you laugh. Though its origin is unknown, the saying rose to prominence on social media in the late 2010s. Inferred is that something or someone made you laugh because of something they said, did, etc. When something thrills them or makes them happy, people may also claim that it is sending them.

No cap

‘No cap’ is used to emphasise that you are stating the truth, especially when discussing something that is difficult to believe, and signify "no lying" or "for real." In 2018, the slang phrase became more widely used. The baseball cap emoji may also be used to emphasise the phrase whether texting or online. When NBA player Kevin Durant accused reporter Chris Broussard of lying about texting with him in a tweet in May 2019, the term "cap" received a lot of attention.

This list, quite obviously, isn't exhaustive so is there anything else you’d like to add?