You’re scrolling through your teenager’s social media — maybe casually, maybe because something felt off. The messages look like they were written in a foreign language. “No cap this guy is sus.” “She got ratio’d.” “Plug pulled up, it was bussin.”
Most teen slang is exactly that — slang. Creative, funny, totally harmless. But hidden inside the same streams of messages and DMs are codes that aren’t. Drug transactions. Sexual solicitation. Real distress dressed up as a joke.
This guide covers 50+ terms and emoji codes across three categories: everyday slang you can mostly scroll past, coded language worth understanding, and the emoji shorthand that parents are consistently blindsided by. Every entry has a risk rating so you can focus your attention where it actually matters.
IN THIS GUIDE
Why Teens Use Coded Language Online
Before diving in, it helps to understand why this language exists. Teen slang isn’t new — every generation has had it. What is new is the speed at which it spreads. A phrase coined in a TikTok comment on Monday can be in millions of group chats by Friday.
According to Pew Research, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone and 35% say they are on at least one social media platform “almost constantly.” That’s a lot of language being invented and circulated out of adult view.
Teens use slang for a few core reasons:
- Belonging — shared language signals you’re part of a group
- Speed — abbreviations and codes are faster than full sentences
- Privacy — keeping conversations incomprehensible to parents and teachers
- Cultural participation — using the right words signals awareness of memes, games, and creators they follow
Most of it is completely innocent. The goal of this guide is to make sure you’re not caught off-guard by the small percentage that isn’t.
How to Read This Guide
Every term below is rated on a three-level scale:
Part 1: Everyday Slang (Mostly Harmless)
This is the bulk of what your teen is saying online. Most of it changes every six months, mostly just means you’re out of the loop, and requires zero action from you.
| Term | What It Means | Risk | Why Parents Should Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sus | Suspicious or untrustworthy — from the game Among Us | 🟢 Low | Very common — just means someone seems sketchy. No concern. |
| No Cap / Cap | “No lie” / “That’s a lie” — used to emphasise honesty or call out BS | 🟢 Low | Useful context clue for assessing tone of a conversation |
| Rizz / Unspoken Rizz | Natural charm and ability to attract others; unspoken = just through presence | 🟢 Low | Common in dating talk — generally harmless |
| Bussin | Really good, excellent — originally about food | 🟢 Low | Purely positive slang. No risk. |
| It’s Giving… | Has the vibe/energy of something (“It’s giving main character”) | 🟢 Low | Expressive slang — harmless |
| NGL | “Not Gonna Lie” — prefacing an honest statement | 🟢 Low | Conversational filler — benign |
| Hits Different | Emotionally resonates in a unique way | 🟢 Low | Can signal vulnerability — worth noticing mood patterns if frequent |
| Mid | Average, mediocre, disappointing | 🟢 Low | Watch if used to describe people repeatedly — can be mild bullying |
| Slay | To do something impressively well; to look amazing | 🟢 Low | Entirely positive — no risk |
| 6-7 / Six Seven | Harmless viral brainrot from the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla and LaMelo Ball memes. Means nothing — just sounds cool | 🟢 Low | Completely harmless. If your kid says it, they’re just being a kid. |
| Brainrot | The mental numbness from over-scrolling trivial content online | 🟢 Low | Used self-deprecatingly — can reflect real screen time concerns worth discussing |
| Touch Grass | “Go outside and disconnect from the internet” | 🟢 Low | Usually said to someone being told they’re too online — mostly humorous |
| Cooked | Exhausted, overwhelmed — “I’m cooked” | 🟢 Low | Harmless — can reflect stress levels worth checking in on |
| Gyatt / GYATT | Exclamation of admiration for someone’s body (especially curves) — popular on TikTok | 🟡 Medium | Overtly sexual in nature — normalises commenting on others’ bodies in group chats |
| Sigma | Independent, dominant person who operates outside social hierarchies — often tied to manosphere content | 🟡 Medium | Connected to male online communities; heavy use may indicate exposure to red-pill or incel ideology |
| Based | Someone who speaks their mind boldly without caring what others think | 🟡 Medium | Often positive, but can validate harmful opinions in certain online spaces |
| Crash Out | To act recklessly or dangerously due to emotional instability | 🟡 Medium | Can describe a mental health spiral — watch for frequency of use |
| Opp | Opponent, enemy — someone you’re in conflict with | 🟡 Medium | Common in social conflict or gang-adjacent language — understand context |
| Sneaky Link | A secret romantic or sexual hookup meeting | 🟡 Medium | Signals hidden romantic/sexual activity — typically used by older teens |
| KMS / KYS | “Kill Myself” / “Kill Yourself” — often used as hyperbole for embarrassment, but can be genuine | 🔴 High | Even as a joke, normalises self-harm language. Frequent or non-joking use may signal real distress. Take seriously — see Beyond Blue or CALM. |
Part 2: Coded and High-Risk Language
This section is worth reading carefully. Some of these terms are used openly and could mean nothing in isolation. But in combination — or alongside unknown contacts, late-night activity, or sudden secrecy — they matter.
| Term / Code | What It Means | Risk | Why Parents Should Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 420 / 710 | 420 = marijuana; 710 = cannabis oil (710 upside-down spells OIL) | 🔴 High | Classic drug codes still widely in use. If paired with transaction talk, escalate urgency. |
| Plug | A drug dealer or supplier — “hit the plug”, “need a plug” | 🔴 High | Seeking a dealer. Serious red flag — see Talk to Frank (UK) or SAMHSA (US) for guidance. |
| Pressed / Blue / Perc | Counterfeit pills — often fentanyl-laced — bought via social media DMs | 🔴 High | Fentanyl-laced fake pills sold via Snapchat and Instagram have killed teens worldwide. This language indicates drug purchasing. |
| Zaza / Za | High-quality or exotic marijuana, sometimes used for other strong drugs | 🔴 High | Used in buying/selling conversations — often paired with plug emojis (🔌) |
| Thizz / Molly / X | Ecstasy / MDMA — used at parties and events | 🔴 High | Often accompanied by 😤 or 💊 emojis — normalised in party/festival contexts among older teens |
| White / Snow / Soft | Cocaine — coded language used in DMs | 🔴 High | Often paired with the ❄️ snowflake emoji — part of the wider drug emoji code system |
| Fent / F | Fentanyl — appearing in pill-trade discussions | 🔴 High | Even one exposure to fentanyl can be lethal. Any mention in context of obtaining drugs is an emergency. |
| GNOC | “Get Naked On Camera” — sexual solicitation used by online predators targeting minors | 🔴 High | Online predator language. If found in your child’s messages from an unknown contact, contact NCMEC (US) or CEOP (UK) immediately. |
| “Wanna trade?” | Request to exchange nude images — common grooming opener | 🔴 High | Used almost exclusively as an intro to image-based exploitation. If seen in messages with unknown contacts, act immediately. |
| DTF | “Down To F***” — indicating sexual availability | 🔴 High | Explicitly sexual. Concerning if used in chats with unknown adults or significantly older contacts. |
| WYO / “Pull up” | “What You On?” / “come meet me” — initiating a hookup or in-person meetup | 🔴 High | WYO sounds innocent but is used to initiate sexual meetups. “Pull up” from an unknown adult to a minor is a serious grooming signal. |
| CD9 / P911 | Parent alert codes: “Code 9 = parent nearby” / “Parent 911 = parent watching” | 🔴 High | Your child is actively hiding a conversation from you in real time. This is the starting point for a serious, calm conversation. |
| Fruiting | Sexting — sending/receiving explicit images or messages | 🔴 High | Used to describe sexting activity, especially among younger teens who want to avoid detection |
| Ratio’d | When a reply gets more engagement than the original post — public humiliation mechanic on social media | 🟡 Medium | Primarily a pile-on and bullying tool. If your child is being ratio’d, investigate for cyberbullying. |
| Shadowbanned | When a platform silently reduces your content reach without telling you | 🟢 Low | Can cause anxiety and paranoia about social media performance — worth a conversation if your teen seems obsessed with metrics |
Part 3: Emoji Codes Parents Are Being Blindsided By
Emojis have a second language. Dealers, predators, and teens use them specifically because they look innocent to adults — and because they evade platform detection algorithms. The following combinations are documented by the DEA, law enforcement agencies, and digital safety researchers.
| Emoji(s) | Coded Meaning | Risk | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌿 🍃 🥦 🍁 🌴 | Marijuana / cannabis | 🔴 High | Multiple leaf emojis in drug context — especially concerning alongside 💰 or 🔌 |
| ❄️ ⛄ | Cocaine / white powder drugs | 🔴 High | Snowflake emoji widely used by dealers to indicate cocaine availability |
| 💊 🔵 🅿️ 🍌 | Pills — prescription drugs, opioids, or fentanyl-laced fakes | 🔴 High | Blue pill / “P” combo is associated with counterfeit pills. Extremely dangerous — see DEA One Pill Can Kill. |
| 🍄 | Psilocybin mushrooms (“shrooms”) | 🔴 High | Used in discussions about psychedelic drug use or purchase |
| 🔌 | “Plug” — a drug dealer or supplier | 🔴 High | Electric plug emoji in a DM with unknown contacts is a strong signal of drug dealer contact |
| 😤 | MDMA / ecstasy (steam-face = rolling) | 🔴 High | Used by dealers to signal MDMA — innocuous-looking to parents |
| 🎈 🎪 | Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) | 🔴 High | Balloon emoji used to signal nitrous availability — growing in popularity among teens at events |
| 🐎 🐴 | Ketamine (“horse tranquiliser”) | 🔴 High | Horse emojis used as coded language for ketamine in DMs |
| 📸 👅 🍑 🍆 | Sexting / explicit photo request | 🔴 High | These combos are near-universally used to request or acknowledge nude images — common in teen sexting and predator grooming |
| 🖐️ 💦 | Sexual acts / explicit invitation | 🔴 High | Used alongside other explicit emojis in sexual solicitation messages |
| ✂️ 🩸 | Self-harm / cutting | 🔴 High | Scissors + blood = potential self-harm communication. Contact a professional — see Lifeline (AU), Samaritans (UK), or Crisis Text Line (US). |
| 💣 🔴 | “Red pill” / extreme misogynistic beliefs (incel/manosphere signalling) | 🔴 High | Highlighted by Netflix’s Adolescence — used in extremist communities targeting teen boys. Worth having an open conversation. |
| 🤡 | Feeling foolish / being publicly mocked | 🟡 Medium | Often used in pile-on bullying to humiliate someone online |
| 🔪 | Anger, threatening mood, or wanting to cause harm | 🔴 High | Harmless hyperbole in casual venting; potentially serious if directed at a specific person. Context is everything. |
| 👁️💋👁️ | “It is what it is” — OR used in explicit image-sharing contexts | 🟡 Medium | Dual meaning — can be innocent or signal nude sharing depending on context and who it’s sent to |
The 5 Terms That Need a Conversation Right Now
If you take nothing else from this guide, know these five.
1. KMS / KYS
“Kill myself” and “kill yourself” are used so casually online that many teens don’t register them as serious. But research from The Lancet and others consistently shows that normalising this language has a measurable effect on teen mental health — and some uses are genuine cries for help dressed up as jokes. If your child uses it frequently or outside a clearly joking context, have a direct, non-punishing conversation. Resources: Beyond Blue (AU), Samaritans (UK), 988 Lifeline (US).
2. CD9 / P911
If you see this in your child’s chat, they are actively hiding a conversation from you in real time. This isn’t about punishment — it means there’s a conversation happening they feel they can’t let you see. That’s the starting point for a calm, honest discussion about what’s going on and why they felt they needed to hide it.
3. GNOC / “Wanna trade?”
These phrases are used almost exclusively in sexual solicitation — often by adults targeting minors. “Get Naked On Camera” is frequently accompanied by flattery, pressure, or threats. “Wanna trade?” is one of the most common opening lines in image-based exploitation. If either appears in your child’s DMs from someone they don’t know in person, contact NCMEC CyberTipline (US), CEOP (UK/AU), or your local police.
4. Pressed / Blue / Perc
Counterfeit pills bought through social media — sold as Xanax, Adderall, or Percocet — are now the leading cause of teen overdose deaths in the US and are rising globally. One pill can be lethal. If you see pill language alongside unknown contacts or requests for money, treat it as urgent. Contact SAMHSA (US) or Talk to Frank (UK).
5. Sigma + Based + Red Pill (in combination)
Individually, these words are fairly harmless. Together — especially when combined with content glorifying dominance, dismissing women, or framing vulnerability as weakness — they can signal exposure to incel or manosphere ideology. Netflix’s Adolescence brought wide attention to how quickly these ideas spread through teen boys’ group chats. If your son is using these terms heavily, explore what content he’s watching and open a conversation about it.
How to Talk to Your Teen About This (Without the Door Slamming)
The worst approach: leading with “I’ve been researching your slang and I’m concerned.” The goal is to keep the door open, not establish surveillance.
- Lead with curiosity, not accusation. “I keep seeing this word everywhere — what does it actually mean?” This positions them as the expert and you as genuinely interested.
- Normalise the harmless stuff. Saying “bussin is such a good word, I’m going to start using it” will make them cringe and laugh. That’s a connection moment, not a failure.
- Separate the conversation from a specific incident. Talking about sexting, pill dangers, or online predators in the abstract — not triggered by something you found — lands very differently.
- Choose your moment. In the car, on a walk, during dinner — not right before school, not mid-argument, not while they’re on their phone.
- If something is already concerning, don’t wait for the perfect moment. A calm, direct conversation now beats a perfect conversation that never happens.
For further reading on digital parenting conversations, eSafety Commissioner (AU), Internet Matters (UK), and Common Sense Media (US) all have excellent, age-specific guides.
What to Do If You See Something Concerning
- Screenshot and note the context — platform, date, who it was with, what else was in the conversation.
- Pause before reacting. A panicked confrontation often shuts the conversation down entirely.
- For sexual exploitation concerns: Contact NCMEC CyberTipline (US), CEOP (UK), or eSafety Commissioner (AU).
- For drug concerns: Contact SAMHSA (US), Talk to Frank (UK), or Counselling Online (AU) — don’t handle it alone.
- For self-harm concerns: 988 Lifeline (US), Samaritans (UK/IE), Lifeline (AU).
- For ongoing visibility without hovering: Chatstat’s social media monitoring gives you real-time alerts on the terms and patterns that matter — so you stay informed and only step in when something actually warrants it.
Stay One Step Ahead
Chatstat For Parents monitors your child’s social media activity in real time — flagging high-risk language, unknown contacts, and sudden behavioural shifts, without reading every message.
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