Last updated: May 2026 | Reading time: 12 minutes
By James Smith, SocialDad.ca — a Canadian dad writing about raising kids in the age of the internet
You’re at dinner. Your kid glances at their phone, turns to their friend, and says “bro literally ate and left no crumbs, no cap.”
Nobody explains anything. Everyone laughs. You nod.
You did not understand a single word of that sentence.
You’re not alone. In 2025, “what does sigma mean,” “what is rizz,” and “what does skibidi mean” ranked among the most-searched parenting questions on Google, with “6-7” alone pulling over 141,000 searches. Millions of parents were typing the same confused queries at the same kitchen tables.
This guide answers every one of those questions — plus the words showing up in 2026 that you haven’t had to Google yet.
Quick Reference: The Words Most Dads Are Googling Right Now
Before the deep dives, here’s the fast version for when you need an answer in 30 seconds. Slang Term What It Means Rizz Charisma; the ability to attract someone through charm Sigma A person who operates independently and doesn’t seek approval Skibidi Meaningless filler word; born from a chaotic YouTube meme Aura Someone’s perceived coolness, magnetism, or vibe Brain rot Mindless internet content — and the mental state it produces No cap “I’m being serious / no lie” Ate To do something exceptionally well Glazing Giving excessive, embarrassing compliments Delulu Short for delusional; used humorously about unrealistic thinking Mogging Outshining everyone else in the room Based Authentic, confident, unapologetically yourself NPC Someone who acts like a background character with no original thought Fanum tax Stealing food off someone’s plate and calling it a “tax” Mewing Pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth to sharpen your jawline Chopped Unattractive, disappointing, or not hitting the mark 6-7 Literally nothing — that’s the joke Unc Short for uncle; someone old or out of touch Canon event A painful experience that was meant to happen and shaped who you are Aura farming Deliberately curating your image to seem more mysterious or cool 404 coded Checked out, barely present, mentally unavailable
What Does “Rizz” Mean?
Rizz means charisma — specifically the kind of effortless charm that makes someone attractive or magnetic in social situations.
It’s short for “charisma,” and Oxford University Press named it their Word of the Year for 2023. It’s still going strong in 2026.
If your kid “has rizz,” they’re naturally smooth and compelling. “L rizz” means they tried and failed. “Unspoken rizz” is the highest level — when someone is so naturally charismatic they don’t even have to say anything. And a “rizzler” is someone who has mastered the art of rizz.
Example: “Did you see how he talked to her? Bro’s got unspoken rizz.”
What you actually need to know: If your kid says someone “gave them rizz,” it’s a compliment. If they say they have “zero rizz,” they’re probably venting about a social situation. It’s harmless.
What Does “Sigma” Mean?
Sigma describes someone who operates outside the social hierarchy — independent, self-directed, and indifferent to what others think.
It comes from a meme-ified version of the Greek alphabet male hierarchy: alpha (dominant leader), beta (follower), sigma (the lone wolf who rejected the whole system). Sigma types don’t seek validation. They do what they want.
Your kid saying they’re on their “sigma grindset” is mostly them being self-deprecating about being antisocial or laser-focused on something. It’s also used ironically — a lot. When teens call something a “sigma move,” they usually mean it with a mix of genuine admiration and absurdist humor.
Example: “He just walked away from the whole drama without saying anything. Total sigma move.”
What you actually need to know: Sigma content started in corners of the internet associated with hyper-masculine “manosphere” messaging. Most teens use it as ironic humor rather than a genuine ideology, but it’s worth knowing where the word came from.
What Does “Skibidi” Mean?
Skibidi means almost nothing — and that’s entirely the point.
It comes from Skibidi Toilet, an animated YouTube series by creator Alexey Gerasimov featuring human heads inside toilets singing a remixed song. The series has billions of views. The word “skibidi” became a filler that can mean good, bad, cool, chaotic, weird, or nothing at all — context determines everything.
Skibidi is the flagship word of what your kid might call “brain rot” content: absurd, chaotic internet humor designed to feel overwhelming and purposefully confusing. It’s meant to make adults feel lost. It worked.
Example: “What in the skibidi is happening right now.” (Translation: something chaotic or unexpected just occurred.)
What you actually need to know: Your kid saying “skibidi” at dinner isn’t a red flag. It’s the 2025 equivalent of saying “whatever” — generational noise that signals group belonging, not personal belief.
What Does “Aura” Mean in Slang?
Aura refers to someone’s perceived energy, coolness, or magnetism — the quality that makes a person compelling without them having to explain why.
Think of it as a vibe score. High aura means you radiate effortless confidence. Low aura means you’re embarrassing yourself in public. “Aura farming” (a newer 2026 evolution) means deliberately curating your behavior or social media presence to build that mysterious quality — posting less, saying less, acting like you have somewhere better to be.
The term got popular in sports communities first. Athletes who hit clutch shots in big moments were said to have “crazy aura.” It spread from there into everyday teen language.
Example: “He walked in late and everyone looked up. His aura is insane.”
Example (aura farming): “She hasn’t posted in three weeks. She’s definitely aura farming.”
What Does “Brain Rot” Mean?
Brain rot has two meanings your kid is probably using interchangeably.
The first: the actual cognitive experience of consuming too much mindless, low-quality content online. Oxford University Press named “brain rot” their Word of the Year for 2024. When your kid says “my brain is so rotted,” they’re usually being self-aware — it’s become a badge of being extremely online.
The second: the entire genre of intentionally absurd internet humor. Skibidi Toilet is brain rot. Memes that make no sense unless you’ve watched 400 hours of TikTok are brain rot. Random words and numbers (like “6-7”) inserted into sentences for comedic effect are brain rot.
Example: “I watched that video 30 times and I still don’t get it. My brain is cooked.”
What you actually need to know: Research does link heavy consumption of this type of content to shorter attention spans and disrupted dopamine patterns. But teens being self-deprecating about their TikTok habits usually means they already know — they’re not in denial. The conversations worth having are about balance, not vocabulary.
What Does “No Cap” Mean? What Is “Capping”?
“No cap” means “I’m being serious — no lie.”
“Capping” or “cap” means lying or exaggerating.
These have been around for a few years and show zero signs of disappearing. If your kid says “no cap,” they’re emphasizing that something is genuinely true. If they tell you to “stop capping,” they think you’re embellishing a story.
Example: “That movie was actually great, no cap.”
Example: “Dad, you said you were five minutes away an hour ago. Stop capping.”
What Does “Ate” Mean in Teen Slang?
“Ate” (or “she ate” / “he ate”) means someone did something exceptionally well.
The fuller version — “ate and left no crumbs” — means they performed so flawlessly there was nothing left to critique. It originated in drag, dance, and performance communities and spread everywhere. It applies to looks, performances, comebacks, presentations — anything.
Example: “Did you see her speech? She ate and left no crumbs.”
The opposite: If something is “chopped,” it failed to deliver. Chopped is the word when something or someone is ugly, disappointing, or just not hitting the mark it was supposed to hit.
What Does “Glazing” Mean?
Glazing means over-the-top, excessive, embarrassing compliments.
Merriam-Webster defines it as showering someone with “excessive praise.” It was one of the most-searched slang terms of 2025, pulling nearly 50,000 Google lookups. If your kid says a comment section is “glazing” someone, they mean the fans are worshipping that person beyond what’s reasonable or dignified. It’s almost always used mockingly.
Example: “The whole comments section is just glazing him. It’s cringe.”
What Does “Delulu” Mean?
Delulu is short for “delusional” — used to describe someone holding unrealistic beliefs about a situation, especially a romantic one.
It originated in K-pop fan communities, where fans jokingly called themselves “delulu” for believing their favorite idol might one day date them. It’s been added to the Cambridge Dictionary. When your kid uses it, it’s almost always self-deprecating humor.
Example: “She thinks he’s going to text her back. She’s delulu.”
Example: “I’m a little delulu about this job application, but whatever.”
What Does “Mogging” Mean?
Mogging means outshining everyone else — in looks, skill, presence, or success — to the point where comparison feels unfair.
It’s related to terms from online male hierarchy discourse (AMOG: Alpha Male of Group), but in mainstream teen use it’s mostly lost that baggage. Your kid saying someone is “mogging everyone” usually just means that person is significantly better than the competition at whatever they’re doing right now.
Example: “He walked in and was mogging everyone in the room. Nobody else even tried.”
A related word: looksmaxxing — the practice of maximizing your physical appearance through jawline exercises (mewing), skincare, gym work, and other techniques. It’s a real subculture, not just slang.
What Does “Based” Mean?
Based means authentic, confident, and unapologetically yourself — without caring what anyone thinks.
It’s the opposite of “cringe” or “trying too hard.” If something is based, it’s real, direct, and self-assured. If your kid calls your opinion “based,” that’s genuinely a compliment — they’re saying you said something real without worrying about how it landed.
Example: “He said exactly what he thought and didn’t apologize for it. That’s based.”
What Does “NPC” Mean?
NPC means Non-Player Character — the background characters in video games who walk scripted paths, repeat the same lines, and have no original thought.
When your kid calls someone an NPC, they’re saying that person moves through life unthinkingly, following trends without questioning anything. It’s one of the more pointed insults in the slang glossary. It’s also been turned into a content format where creators film themselves moving robotically in public — “NPC streaming.”
Example: “He just does whatever everyone else does. Total NPC energy.”
What Does “Fanum Tax” Mean?
Fanum tax means playfully stealing food off someone’s plate and framing it as an entitlement rather than theft.
Named after internet streamer Fanum, who became known for eating other streamers’ food mid-broadcast. The “tax” framing is the joke — it’s not stealing, it’s an informal levy your friend owes you. Almost always used lightheartedly.
Example: “Give me one of your fries. Fanum tax.”
What Is “Mewing”?
Mewing is a real technique where you press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, supposedly to improve your jawline and facial structure over time.
Named after British orthodontist Dr. John Mew. Whether it works is genuinely debated. What’s not debated is that millions of teenagers saw TikTok videos about it and started doing it, including during meals, conversations, and family dinners. If your kid suddenly goes quiet with a slightly forced expression, they might be mewing.
Example: “I’ve been mewing for six months. The results are actually insane.”
What Does “6-7” Mean?
6-7 means absolutely nothing — that is the joke.
It was the single most-searched slang term of 2025, with 141,000 Google lookups. It originated from a song called “Doot Doot (6 7)” by rapper Skrilla, then attached itself to viral videos of NBA player LaMelo Ball (who is 6’7” tall). Teens insert “6-7” into conversations any time someone mentions a number, or just randomly. It’s a punchline without a setup. Pure disruption.
Example:
Teacher: “You have about six minutes left.”
Students: “SIX SEVUUUUHN.”
The number 41 works the same way — another nonsense number used to confuse anyone not terminally online.
New Teen Slang in 2026: Words Just Starting to Spread
What Does “Unc” Mean?
Unc is short for “uncle” — used to describe someone older, out of touch, or behind on trends. Sometimes affectionate, sometimes not.
If your teenager calls you “unc,” they caught you using slang wrong or reacting to something with confusion they consider embarrassing. Whether it’s a term of endearment depends entirely on tone.
Example: “Dad just asked me what ‘rizz era’ means. He’s so unc.”
What Is a “Canon Event”?
A canon event is a painful or embarrassing experience that had to happen — because it shaped who you are and couldn’t have been avoided in any version of your life.
It comes from Marvel/multiverse storytelling, where certain events happen in every timeline regardless. In teen use, it’s applied to universal teenage humiliations: the awkward phase, the rejected crush, the failed exam. The framing makes it feel inevitable and meaningful rather than just awful.
Example: “I’m so embarrassed I said that in front of everyone.” “Don’t worry, it’s your canon event.”
What Does “404 Coded” Mean?
404 coded describes someone who is mentally absent or checked out — a play on the “404 Not Found” web error message.
If your kid calls you “404 coded” on a Monday morning, they’re saying you seem barely present. Accurate.
Example: “I walked into first period and my brain was just 404 coded. Nothing was getting through.”
What Does “Pop Off” Mean?
“Pop off” means to perform exceptionally well, to go for it, to absolutely deliver.
It works as encouragement (“pop off!”) and as a description of someone who just delivered something great (“she popped off”). One of the more straightforwardly positive terms in this glossary.
Example: “You got the lead role? Pop off!”
What Is “Wabi Sabi” in Teen Slang?
Wabi sabi originally refers to the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection. Teens revived it after a clip from King of the Hill went viral, and briefly used it to describe embracing your own flaws. It evolved into a general term for anything raw, unfiltered, or genuinely human rather than polished.
Example: “I posted the unedited photo. Wabi sabi, honestly.”
What Does “Gurt” or “Gurting” Mean?
Gurt (or gurting) means doing something smart but also dangerous at the same time — from a viral TikTok in 2025 that defined it exactly that way. Before that, it came from a “yogurt” meme. It’s chaotic slang still finding its shape.
Example: “She climbed up there to get her frisbee back. That’s gurting.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Slang
Why does teen slang change so fast?
TikTok. A sound, a meme, or a phrase can move from a single creator’s video to 50 million feeds in 48 hours. What took a generation to spread in the 1980s now spreads in a week. The speed is new; the impulse to build a private language is as old as teenagers.
Is brain rot content actually harmful?
Research links heavy consumption of chaotic, low-quality short-form content to shorter attention spans and disrupted dopamine cycles. That said, teens who joke about having “brain rot” are usually self-aware about it — which is a better sign than you’d think. The issue isn’t the vocabulary. It’s the hours.
Should I try to use my kid’s slang?
Carefully. One wrong usage and you’re “unc” for the rest of the school year. That said, knowing what these words mean — without necessarily using them yourself — keeps you present in their world. Asking “what does that mean?” is always a better move than guessing.
What slang should I actually worry about?
Most of it is harmless. The ones worth knowing in context:
- “Mogging” and “looksmaxxing” connect to online communities that can become obsessive about physical appearance
- “NPC” used self-referentially might signal a kid feeling invisible or going through the motions
- “Delulu” used seriously (not humorously) about a relationship could open a conversation
Slang itself is almost never the problem. It’s a window. Look through it.
What’s the difference between Gen Z slang and Gen Alpha slang?
Gen Z (born roughly 1997–2012) built the foundation: rizz, no cap, slay, bussin, based. Gen Alpha (born 2013 onward) took it further into deliberate absurdism: skibidi, 6-7, brain rot, NPC streaming. Your kid’s exact vocabulary depends on their age and which platforms they’re spending time on.
A Note for Dads
Every generation builds a private language. Your parents didn’t understand yours. Yours sounded like noise to them too — they just didn’t have Google to figure it out at midnight.
The speed is different now. The words travel faster, mean less, and get replaced before you can write them on a Post-it. But the reason they exist hasn’t changed. Kids want to belong to something their parents aren’t part of.
Knowing what “rizz” means won’t make you cool. But it might make dinner a little less like attending a foreign film with no subtitles.
That’s enough.
Sources and Data
- Oxford University Press Word of the Year 2023 (rizz) and 2024 (brain rot)
- Google Trends search volume data for 2025 slang terms, via Fox News analysis and Tinybeans
- Merriam-Webster dictionary additions: delulu, glazing
- Cambridge Dictionary: delulu
- Google’s 2025 top parenting search trends, reported by Motherly and Tinybeans
- SheKnows 2026 Teen Slang Guide
- Axis.org Parent Guide to Teen Slang 2026
- Luna App Teen Slang Dictionary 2026
- WeAreTeachers 2026 Classroom Slang Report
SocialDad.ca publishes parenting content for Canadian dads navigating the gap between the world they grew up in and the one their kids live in. This guide is updated regularly as new terms emerge.
Last updated: May 2026
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