A Guide to Kids’ Culture for Out-of-Touch Adults: an All-Slang Edition
Since I started writing this column in 1878, I’ve covered a ton of slang, but this week I’m focusing on the funny words kids use among themselves. That’s right: it’s slang week! From “clock that” to “raw boredom,” consider this a crash course in what kids say to each other. As always, remember: don’t use these slang words because they’re not yours . Keep calling things “bombs” and saying “23-skidoo,” Grandpa.
(If that’s not enough slang for you, check out my ever-expanding dictionary of Gen Z and Gen A slang .)
What does “the clock that” mean?
I’m old enough to remember how the word “clock” used to be slang for either punching, observing, or seeing, so “I clocked that guy” meant either “I punched that guy” or “I saw that guy.” But times have changed—at least a little. My sources say kids now use “clock that” to mean “I understand and agree.”
What does “fujoshing” and “fujoshing TF out” mean?
Here’s a rare slang word that doesn’t originate from African-American English! “Fujoshing” originates in Japan and is the verb form of the slang term “fujoshi,” which combines the words “rotten” and “girl.” It’s used to describe female/girl fans of media depicting romantic relationships between men (also known as “yaoi”). Apparently, it was originally an insult, but later became a badge of honor. Thus, “Fujoshing” or “fujoshing tf out” was Japanese slang for enjoying yaoi, and has since migrated to English-language fandoms, where it’s often used in memes like this one to humorously describe overanalyzing or flippantly reacting to interactions between male characters in media that aren’t explicitly romantic:
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It is not widely used outside of fandom communities.
What is a “slopper”?
I’ve already defined ” slopcore ,” and ” slopper ” is a related word. It describes someone who overuses ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence programs. It could be applied to anyone who takes communicating with law students seriously and/or to those who have essentially handed over their thoughts to an algorithm.
The term was first used online by @intrnetbf , who says it was coined by a friend. “That’s an incredible slur. A bib ! That’s such a good insult, bro. A bib!”
It’s not very common, and I know it’s impossible to predict which slang terms will actually catch on, but I’m rooting for “slopper.” As one guy said, it’s a pretty good insult.
What does “crack” mean?
“Cracked” is a slang expression that used to describe someone weird or crazy, but now it means two different things: having sex, as in “I got drunk last night,” and being really good at something, like “He got drunk at Fortnite .”
What does “doy doy doy” mean?
“Doi doi doi” is a silly slang term that’s been floating around elementary schools across the country. Like many other silly slang terms, it means nothing. The correct way to pronounce it is by putting your hand to your mouth and saying “doi doi doi” because it sounds funny. “Doi doi doi” was coined by Twitch streamer Kai Jenat, apparently to piss off Howie Mandel. Here’s a video from its inception demonstrating the proper doi doi doi technique:
What is “raw boredom”?
“Rawdoggin'” was originally slang for sex without a condom, but over time it came to mean something like “doing something without any precautions or support.” So, “rawdoggin’ boredom” is a deliberate act of doing nothing, and it’s becoming a trend on TikTok. Young people are posting 15-minute videos of themselves doing… nothing. Here’s one you can watch (honestly, it’s even more boring than rawdoggin-style boredom).
Many people who enjoy spending time playing boring games say they do so to improve their concentration, but some seem more interested in the challenge itself than anything else.
Of course, mindful inactivity isn’t a new trend. As user X put it, “They’ve reimagined meditation from the ground up.”
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Viral Video of the Week: What Happens If You Treat a Robot Cruelly?
This week, a video went viral from longtime YouTuber whistlindiesel , whose channel mostly consists of videos of guys smashing cars. This week, they’re smashing a robot with a car—specifically, an $85,000 humanoid robot from Unitree Robotics . The video has racked up over six million views in about a week, and for good reason. It’s hilarious to watch the robot fail at things like cooking and crashing into a mirror, but for me, the truly inspiring moments are when whistlindiesel’s crew does something silly, like putting a machete in the hand of a barely controllable robot or (at least pretending to) give it a loaded gun. Inspired madness! Especially the ending, where the robot gets smashed to smithereens by a massive pickup truck. I’ll deny ever laughing at this video to our overlords when the robot takeover happens, but until then, I’m digging it. Watch this.