Young people's social codes and cultural mirrors with Gen Z
Unlock the communication code of Generation Z and make brands become trend-setting natives
1.Generation Z: The language revolution of Internet natives
As Internet natives born between 1995 and 2009, the slang created by Generation Z presents distinct characteristics of the digital age. They use pinyin abbreviations to create new ideas: "yyds" (eternal god) replaces traditional praise, and "xswl" (laughing to death) becomes a shorthand symbol for emotions. This simplification of language is not a poor expression, but a strategy for dealing with the information overload era - using four letters to convey complete emotions and using emoticons to replace long speeches.
Social platforms have become a breeding ground for slang. "Rizz" (charm value), "Slay" (perfect performance), "broken defense" (psychological defense collapse) and "Versailles literature" (low-key show-off) on Weibo are all rapidly fissioning with the help of algorithms. According to statistics, the completion rate of content with slang tags on social platforms will increase. These words have become the social currency of Generation Z.
2.Slang classification: multidimensional mapping of cultural genes：
⊙1. Emotional codebook
"Rizz": describes someone as extremely attractive
"Slay": often used to praise outfits or achievements, double the effect with the ✨ emoji
"emo": originated from a music genre, now refers to a state of being in a negative mood
⊙2. Scene-based hot words
"Main Character Energy": refers to someone who has the aura of a protagonist in a TV series or film
G3 theory: teases the survival rules of working women and resonates
⊙3. Symbolic abbreviations
"IDC" (I Don't Care): expresses disdain, and is enhanced with the rolling eyes emoji
"LMK" (Let Me Know): concise communication instructions to improve the response speed of brand customer service
3. The cultural logic behind the language revolution
The prosperity of Generation Z slang is essentially a cultural reconstruction in the digital age. They dissolve authority through language games, deconstruct traditional success studies with "human high-quality males", and use "nonsense literature" to fight against the flood of information, creating the absurd aesthetics of "listening to your words is like listening to your words". This language is not only a symbol of circle identity, but also an outlet for emotional catharsis.
4. Intergenerational dialogue: understanding rather than judgment
Faced with the language carnival of young people, some parents and educators are confused. But as linguists point out, Internet slang is a dynamic cultural phenomenon, and there is no need to worry too much about its impact, nor should it be simply denied. The key is to understand the expression logic behind it: use "yyds" to express love, use "involution" to reflect on society, and use "JOMO" to find a balance in life.
In the wave of digitalization, learning to communicate in the way of Generation Z may be the first step to cross the generational gap.