Skip to content

Seattle Culture

No Cap: This is Really Bussin

Confused by Gen Z slang? This handy guide can help.

By Carly Dykes May 24, 2024

A group of five diverse young people are standing close together outdoors, smiling and laughing while looking at smartphones. Text message bubbles with expressions like "Ur delulu," "Yeet," and "This is bussin, no cap" are overlaid.
Image by Vivian Lai, photo by CarlosBarquero / Shutterstock

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of Seattle magazine.

Hi pookies, GRWM. You got rizz for days. Confused about what I just said? No cap, me too. Sorry, I’ll stop.

Gen Z has cooked up a dialect that’s practically foreign to the rest of the world, and you can thank TikTok for that. Since its debut in 2018, the popular video-sharing app has amassed millions of users, sharing 15-second skits, dance videos, and lip-syncing clips. Its high-speed nature fuels the creation of many, if not all, of Gen Z’s slang phrases, leaving older generations baffled by terms like “delulu,” “yeet,” and “gyat.”

Every generation creates its own slang, but TikTok’s fast-paced world has older folks (think anyone over 40) feeling like they’re deciphering hieroglyphics with Gen Z’s word of the week. 

By analyzing Google data, a study conducted by Quizgecko, an AI-powered quiz and trivia platform, discovered the top Gen Z phrases Googled every month. Here are a few you should know to stay in the loop:

Rizz: Meaning a talent for seduction (stemming from the word “charisma”), is the top-searched term. It’s Googled nearly 700,000 times per month.

Example: “He’s got mad rizz; everyone’s swooning over him.”

 

Pookie: A nickname for someone you love.

Example: “My pookie and I went to the beach today.”

 

Simp: A term for a male who is overly submissive to a female.

Example: “Jeremy is such a simp, he’ll do anything to impress Sarah.”

 

Gyat: A Gen Z rendition of “goddamn.” Usually in reference to someone having a curvy body. It’s a complement. 

Example: “Gyat, did you see her in that dress?”

 

Sus: Short for something that is questionable or suspicious.

Example: “You’re acting so sus!”

 

Yeet: To violently throw an object you deem worthless.

Example: “I yeeted my trash across the room.”

 

Next time you’re feeling delulu about Gen Z slang, just remember a quick Google search will have you joining in on the fun.

If you’re not Gen Z, this all may be a Beige flag, but get over it. Sheesh.

Follow Us

Reading the Economic Fault Lines

Reading the Economic Fault Lines

Washington’s recession anxiety leads the nation 

Washington residents are Googling recession-related terms more than anyone else in the country. A new study from Techr, an online HR platform, ranked states based on Google searches like “Trump recession 2025,” “are we in a recession 2025,” and “layoffs 2025.” Washington tops the list with 56.33 searches per 100,000 residents — more than 200%…

A Quiet Force: Tasha the Sloth Bear Remembered

A Quiet Force: Tasha the Sloth Bear Remembered

The Woodland Park Zoo loses a beloved matriarch

Woodland Park Zoo has said goodbye to a very important grandma.  Tasha, a 20-year-old sloth bear known for her beautiful coat, hazel eyes, and love of cinnamon, was humanely euthanized after being diagnosed with advanced cancer. She had recently shown signs of rapidly declining health, including lethargy and loss of appetite, prompting an urgent exam….

Funko’s WNBA Deal Showcases Top Stars

Funko’s WNBA Deal Showcases Top Stars

Collectibles company creates Pop! figures of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, others

I love the Seattle Storm, and all things WNBA. My passion for women’s basketball even predates Caitlin Clark. My wife and I recently bought a partial season-ticket package, and my basketball-obsessed son closely analyzes games to help him improve. Now comes news that Everett pop culture collectibles company Funko has signed a deal with the…

206 Forever

206 Forever

Seattle’s longtime area code is getting a new number

If you’ve got a 206 number, go ahead and brag a little. It’s about to get exclusive. Starting June 10, the 564 area code will begin overlaying 206 in Seattle. Blame the cell phones, tablets, watches. Everything wants a number now. Area codes often run out eventually, but this speeds things up. And since we…