Each generation employs its own distinct set of terms that distinguish it from previous generations. Gen Alpha and Gen Z most commonly use such terms on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Such terminology is often common within a specific generation but may not be well-received by older generations. These new terms are gradually changing how teens and kids communicate. Brainrot was Oxford’s official Word of the Year in 2024 due to its widespread use and popularity.
Brain Sciences published a study on the dilemma of Brain Rot in the Digital Era in 2025, concluding that teens resort to using brain rot terms due to increased mental fatigue and excessive attention to digital and social media content. This calls on parents to be aware of these terms and to take the necessary measures to keep their children safe from potential harm.
What are the terms for brainrot in digital culture?
Brainrot terms are typically unique, unfamiliar terms used on social media to convey particular messages. Most common terms become viral and spread across the regions. Gradually, these terms become normal, especially in the digital world. These terms usually don’t have any real or logical meaning.
People in the same generation or with similar social media usage patterns understand these terms and interpret the message sender’s intent. Most such terms originate from viral memes or posts circulating on social media.
Brainrot terms are highly relevant in digital communication. People, especially adolescents and younger generations, use these words more frequently to better understand one another’s messages.
Such terms reflect the digital creativity of their users. That’s why you may notice that even people from older generations are trying to familiarize themselves with such terms so they don’t stand out from other users.
These terms usually have a touch of humour and fun. That’s why you will mostly find such terms in some funny posts, videos, or messages. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have contributed significantly to the widespread use of these posts. Using such words in reels and short videos clearly indicates the content.
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Why kids love Brainrot Language?
Kids love brain-rot language because of their uniqueness. They prefer to use terms that are not in common use and have specialized meanings or histories. Only a specific group of people, usually from the same generation, has a clear understanding of their meanings. That’s why they prefer this language, which makes them stand out from others.
Let’s briefly discuss some common factors below to understand the reason for kids’ attraction towards this language:
Humor and bonding with friends
Kids love using brainrot terms to have a close connection with each other. This is one of the factors that distinguishes children from adults. When kids go through the transition phase from childhood to maturity, their language also transforms. Grown-ups usually don’t use such words. Rather, they naturally use ordinary language, even if they had previously used similar language in their teenage years.
Plus, kids like brain-rot language because they prefer humour in their age group, including their teenage years. Because younger children are typically carefree and free of responsibilities, they often enjoy humour in their day-to-day lives. Using serious posts or normal language makes them appear boring, and they fear standing out from their peers. To keep pace with their classmates and other children their age, they prefer to use this language rather than the standard one.
Feeling included in online culture
Most of the brainrot terms derive their meanings from viral and humorous social media posts. That’s why kids use these terms in their daily lives to show that they are well aware of the online culture and the latest happenings. As online culture is full of jokes and memes, children don’t want anyone to have the impression that they lack knowledge of something that’s trending.
If a TikTok video is viral, most children want to see or know about it as early as possible. That’s because they don’t want to face embarrassment in front of their peers if they look blank about something that’s top trending on social media. They don’t like to stay behind during their live discussions among their peers. They prefer to know and use these terms more frequently to stay ahead in the digital culture. It indicates that the individual is up to date with the latest trends.
How brainrot terms help kids express emotions in quick, relatable ways
Brainrot terms differ from those used in everyday communication. They are the symbols of relativity and emotions. Kids like others to understand their posts, videos, or messages as quickly as possible. That can occur when listeners, viewers, or readers of posts relate to the short-term goals used in those posts.
Using such terms is the latest way of expressing emotions. Kids find it amusing to share their thoughts and ideas with each other in unique ways. Using common words to express their feelings and emotions doesn’t make them sound sophisticated. Rather, they prefer to use their own abbreviations and newly coined words that are trending on social media, especially among their age group.
Popular brainrot terms kids are using in 2025
Let us examine the popular brainrot terms that children use frequently in their social media interactions. The list focuses on the widespread use of these terms among Gen Alpha and Gen Z in 2025. A substantial portion of these terms derives from TikTok slang, particularly during TikTok live streams and other typical videos.
Here are some of the slang brainrot terms used in 2025:
Brainrot:
The brainrot term itself also came from viral memes and videos across social media platforms. Kids prefer using this term to tag a video or post that’s meaningless and without any true value, but still has enough attraction or a strange addiction. It literally means a post or a video that will make your brain rot or foggy and has low value.
Six-Seven (67 or 6-7):
If you keenly follow TikTok and Instagram reels, you may have come across 6-7 jokes. It doesn’t have any specific meaning. This term actually came from the doot doot (6 7) song released on YouTube in early 2025. It quickly gained popularity among teens and kids. That’s why they started using this 6-7 term to relate to this song in their jokes.
Skibidi:
Skibidi is another popular brain-rot term that came from the Skibidi toilet show. It went viral, and a series of related videos followed throughout 2025. Teens and kids usually use this expression as a meme tag. This brain-rot is also devoid of direct meaning and serves as a trivial exclamation. Only those who have seen the show can relate to this term.
Rizz:
This term is a short form of “charisma.” Because children and adolescents prefer short forms, they sometimes create their own terminology. Rizz is a term used by children in place of the full form, denoting the quality of a post or video that is full of charisma or charm.
Fanum Tax:
This term has a loose meaning and refers to a person who steals another person’s food or takes a bite from others. This brainrot term took its name from “Fanum”, a popular streamer who used to take free bites from others’ food as a friendly “tax.”
Mlem mlem:
As the sound of this internet slang hints, this brain-rot term refers to the sound one makes when they see a cute animal or some delicious food. This tongue sound has been widely used on social media in 2025 to associate with events about cute animals or visually appealing food items.
Delulu:
This is a short form for “delusional” that kids and teens created themselves. Kids use this slang brainrot when they want to tag a post that can give them delusional effects. This term enhances the meaning of a post or video by hinting at the potential effects of viewing it. People can also write this term in comments to admire or share their delusional feelings after seeing that particular post.
Sus:
It is another short form of the word “suspicious.” Teens have also independently coined this abbreviation. Children often use short forms on social media, such as “Sus,” to label posts or events that appear suspicious or slightly unrealistic.
Brainrot slang words evolve rapidly. Younger generations can invent them from a strange sound or a video context in any viral post. TikTok and Instagram are the primary social media platforms on which these terms take root. They are most likely to grow rapidly.
Given the latest AI trends and the creation of imaginative videos, these brainrot terms are likely to take new forms, and we can expect more phrases to emerge in the future. The following trends are highly likely to happen:
- Twisted or exaggerated spellings of complex words to make them look simple and unique. For example, responsibilities may be abbreviated as “resps”.
- Make the whole sentence shorter and look stylish. For example, congratulations on your wedding may become something like “congding”.
- A combination of two words. For example, good luck may become something like “guck.”
- Completely new words depending on the viral videos or memes.
The impact of “brainrot” on digital communication and youth
Let us analyze the potential impacts of brainrot phrases on youth in their daily digital communication.
Shifting communication styles and language use
Teens often consider traditional and conventional forms of communication old-fashioned. That’s why they prefer to introduce their own unique ways of communication to stand out from adults. At the same time, traditional communication styles and language don’t change and have largely negative impacts. That’s because when these children grow up and enter professional life, they revert to standard language and communication styles. Language experts believe that the brainrot words add a parallel language system that ensures humour and speed of communication instead of affecting or distorting the natural language.
Potential effects on attention spans and critical thinking
Increased use of brainrot words may have some negative effects on the attention skills of kids. That’s because these words foster a tendency among adolescents to relate quickly to a post by invoking the term’s background. If they engage in such activities excessively, it may make it difficult to focus on their academic or professional assignments. This habit of having rapid-fire communication may also impact their thinking patterns and cognitive abilities. They may find it harder to apply their thinking to other tasks that are less engaging than their brain-rotting terminology.
The role of social media platforms in amplifying brainrot culture
Social media platforms are the birthplaces of the brainrot culture. That’s where these terms originate. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (Shorts) have a high share in making these terms go viral beyond places. These platforms have transformed themselves into digital communities where kids from different cultures and backgrounds interact and learn from each other. It takes only minutes for a video to go viral, and the related brainrot terms pop up in a jiffy.
Parental guidance: Navigating brainrot terms for child safety and digital literacy
Whether you like it or not, you must know about the brainrot terms as parents. If you don’t know what these words mean, your kid would find you detached from them. As parents are always concerned about their children’s well-being, they must be aware of the latest internet slang and how their children use those terms.
Follow these useful tips to be in a better position to ensure your kids’ safety in an ever-changing online culture:
- Never discourage your kids from using such words; rather, ask them about new words they are learning and speaking.
- Ask about the meanings of those words and the background associated with those words.
- If the meanings of those words are safe, don’t stop your kids from using those words. If the meaning is bad, politely counsel them to avoid using those words.
- Conduct online research to learn about the latest brainrot terms and stay informed about your children’s online habits.
But how would you know if your kids are using such words and their digital interactions are safe? The most practical step you can take to monitor all of their activities is to install a reliable parental control app like FlashGet Kids. This app will provide complete visibility of your children’s phone usage. You can get instant notifications about their social media updates. You can also limit their screen time to ensure that they are using their phones within safe limits. This app also allows you to block the download of unsafe apps so that your children are unable to install them on their phones.
Faqs about the brainrot terms
Repeating a viral meme phrase all day is a common phenomenon among kids. They can become addicted to a viral meme and repeat it for several days, until something new emerges.
No. Brainrot terms usually don’t have any definitive meanings. They originate from viral memes and trends and are temporary. Slang are long-term words with specific meanings attached to them.
No, stopping your kids from using brainrot words may weaken your emotional bond with your kids. You should understand those terms and avoid using words with negative connotations.
Conclusion
Brainrot terms are not sensible words. They appear only temporarily for a limited period, and they may vanish sooner than we think. However, these terms are highly important in adolescents’ social interactions and in the creativity they express through social media posts. At the same time, parents must monitor their children’s activities on social media and, if those words are used in real life, also. You must be actively involved with your children to understand these words so that they see you as part of their shared culture. You must use the FlashGet Kids app to check all of their activities on their social media profiles so that you can take preventive or corrective actions to ensure their overall digital safety.
