As the world becomes increasingly connected through the internet and social media platforms, generational gaps become more evident. One platform, in particular, has left older generations scratching their heads – TikTok.

With its own unique language and fast-paced trends, TikTok has introduced a whole new set of words and phrases that can leave many adults feeling out of touch.

A new study by education website Quizgecko dug through the piles of Google data to find out that rizz is the most confusing Gen Z word with 673,000 searches seeking its meaning every month.

On TikTok and other social media platforms, ‘rizz’ denotes a talent for seduction and comes from the word ‘charisma’/

Gyatt, searched 466,288 times per month for its meaning, is another word which leave older generations baffled. On TikTok, ‘pookie’ is often used as an affectionate nickname or term of endearment for a loved one, such as a romantic partner, friend, celebrity, or pet.

Simp ranks third on the list with 328,00 people searching for its meaning every month. Simp describes a boy or man who tries “too hard” with women, with little romantic return.

On TikTok you” frequently see “simp,” along with the verb, “to simp,” and the proper noun, “Simp Nation”.

The term “simp” began trending on TikTok courtesy of a user named Marco Borghi.

The influencer uploaded TikTok’s first “Simp Nation” video to his 2 million followers, simply saying: “If she rants to you about her relationship problems and you comfort her, welcome to the Simp Nation”.

ICK is another word that often pops up in discussions which in turn prompts 270,000 Americans to search for its meaning.

Coquette, Preppy, Gyat, Yeet, NPC and Moots are other words that make the list as the most confusing Gen Z terms.

Here’s the full list with the most trending/confusing Gen-Z slang words and phrases along with their meanings:

A spokesperson from Quizgecko commented on the findings:

“Every generation comes up with its own set of slang terms. However, keeping up with the latest slang can be tough, more so with social media’s power to turn phrases into overnight sensations.

On the other hand, this is also good because signs of a healthy language include new words being created, words being borrowed from other languages, and new meanings being given to existing words”

Methodology

Quizgecko analyzed Google data to find out which TikTok phrases are searched online for their meanings.

Researchers compiled a list of over 150 trending slangs and ranked the top 24 with the most searches.

They then analyzed the number of searches for each slang combined with terms like “Slang meaning”, “what does Slang mean”, “what does Slang stand for” and “Slang definition”.