Most parents Googling "what does skibidi mean" don't need a moral panic; they need a fast translation. This is that. Twenty words a kid is statistically likely to use, with a brief no-judgment definition for each. Words flagged watchful are worth knowing about so you can have a conversation if they come up a lot — not because using them once is a crisis.
For the longer view on how slang changes between generations, see Gen Z vs Gen Alpha slang and what is Gen Alpha slang.
The list
- skibidi — Generic intensifier — can mean weird, cool, or bad depending on tone. Mostly nonsense.
- sigma — Cool / unbothered / admirably independent. Originally from a fringe masculinity meme; the meaning has been almost entirely flattened to 'cool' now.
- rizz — Charisma, especially flirting charisma. Word of the Year 2023.
- fanum tax — Taking a piece of someone else's food. From streamer Fanum's bit.
- gyattwatchful — Exclamation reacting to a curvy figure. Borderline crude; teachers report kids saying it.
- Ohio — Weird / cursed / off. Has nothing to do with the state anymore.
- mid — Mediocre. The internet's preferred way to dismiss something.
- based — Confidently expressing an unpopular opinion. Usually positive.
- no cap / cap — No lie / lie. AAVE-rooted, decades old, currently in heavy use.
- bussin' — Excellent. Usually about food.
- slay — Crushed it / did something well. From Black queer culture.
- bet — Agreed / okay.
- delulu — Delusional. Usually self-deprecating.
- demure — Modest / controlled. Often ironic.
- L / W — Loss / Win. Reaction to anything.
- ratio — When a reply outweighs the original post in negative engagement. Sometimes used as a put-down: 'L + ratio'.
- unalivewatchful — Die / kill. TikTok algospeak for content moderation.
- seggswatchful — Sex. TikTok algospeak.
- edgingwatchful — On TikTok, often non-sexual: 'teasing' or 'stretching out' a topic. Original sexual meaning still exists; context matters.
- goon / gooningwatchful — Slang term that has multiple meanings. The crude meaning has spread but is mostly used jokingly. Worth a conversation if it's coming up frequently.
Three things that aren't useful to do
- Banning slang doesn't work. Words gain currency through forbidden use. The most reliable way to extend a word's lifespan in your house is to make it a Big Deal.
- Lecturing about origin doesn't work. Knowing that "rizz" came from a Twitch streamer doesn't change whether your 11-year-old uses it; it just makes you sound like you've been doing research.
- Memorizing the glossary doesn't work either. By the time you've learned this list, half of it will be dated.
One thing that does
Asking your kid what something means and letting them teach you. Most kids enjoy explaining slang to a parent who's genuinely curious — it's one of the rare power-flips where they get to be the expert. The conversation itself is more useful than the definition.
For broader literacy, the Slangora Learn section has longer pieces on where slang comes from, why it spreads, and how it dies. The dictionary itself ( Browse A–Z) covers everything else.