KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — We live in an era where even the strangest words can make national headlines.

You’ve probably heard a term, phrase, or slang that made you pause and think: Wait… is that even a word?

Gen Z and Gen Alpha are at the forefront of this linguistic creativity, constantly inventing expressions that spiral into full-blown trends overnight. 

And this isn’t just a Malaysian phenomenon — young people worldwide are casually dropping these expressions into everyday conversations.

So what exactly are these slangs — and what do they really mean?

To decode the trend, Malay Mail spoke to young students in Malaysia who are fluent in this ever-evolving lingo. 

And yes — it only gets more unusual from here.

The infamous ‘6–7’

Perhaps the most talked-about slang right now is 6–7, a largely nonsensical interjection popularised through social media.

According to student Gan Jun Zhao, 21, the phrase originated from a song by American rapper Skrilla titled Doot Doot (6 7), where “6–7” is repeatedly chanted in the chorus. 

Internet users later isolated the phrase and began using it on its own.

Gan described it as a “brain-rot” internet expression — something repeated purely for humour, without any real context.

“Unlike older memes, you don’t need to understand anything for it to be funny,” he said. 

“It’s literally what it sounds like — brain rot.”

Maryam Zhafar, 24, echoed this, saying the phrase essentially means nothing and is used mainly for fun or vibe.

Lyly Grace, 21, added that while 6–7 can loosely suggest something between average and special, it is mostly used as a troll phrase.

Gan said 6–7 can appear anytime, even completely out of context. 

For instance, if someone mentions the time is “6:57, almost seven”, the phrase might be dropped — often just to provoke or amuse others.

The hand gesture commonly used alongside it carries no real meaning either.

Beyond nonsense: Slang as social judgment

Not all trending slang is meaningless. 

Some expressions function more as quick social verdicts — compact ways to judge people, moments or behaviour.

TUFF, a stylised spelling of “tough”, has not spread as widely as 6–7 in Malaysia but is still commonly used among Gen Z.

Gan said it is often used to describe something unimpressive, particularly when someone tries to be cool but misses the mark.

“It pops up when someone tries to be clever or edgy but ends up awkward, cringey, or just plain lame,” he said. 

“That’s when you hear, ‘That’s not TUFF.’”

Another widely used term is mid, which simply means average or unremarkable.

“Something mid is nothing special — basically like saying, ‘Eh,’” Lyly said, offering examples such as: “The movie was so mid.”

Gan and Lyly also pointed to skibidi, one of the earliest slang terms associated with Gen Alpha. 

It emerged around 2023 from the YouTube series Skibidi Toilet, known for its absurd visuals and surreal humour — a collection of short videos about people with long necks and terrifying faces who live in toilets, trying to take over the world, and humans with cameras, TVs, and speakers for heads fight back.

Originally, “skibidi” described something unserious or ridiculous, as in: “Stop being so skibidi.”

Over time, its meaning has loosened and become more flexible, sometimes describing something strange — or even oddly impressive.

For example: “That fit is so skibidi.”

‘Aura farming’

Aura farming refers to deliberately doing stylish or impressive things to boost one’s personal vibe — or “aura”.

Borrowed from gaming culture, where players “farm” points through repeated actions, the term treats social life like a scorecard.

“Gen Z sees it as having aura points,” Lyly explained. 

“Do something cool, and your score shoots up.”

The behaviour is inherently performative and often called out when noticed. 

“That’s aura farming,” people might comment.

A recent example includes a behind-the-scenes image from Spider-Man: Brand New Day showing Tom Holland’s Spider-Man standing alone atop a vehicle, head bowed — an image fans quickly labelled as peak Spider-Man aura farming.

‘Rizz’

Derived from “charisma”, rizz refers to a person’s ability to attract or woo someone romantically.

“If your rizz is mid, you might struggle to attract someone,” Lyly said. 

“But if your rizz is good, you can easily charm others.”

‘Cooked’ and ‘sigma’

Student Lei Leonin, 19, said cooked typically refers to being in serious trouble.

“If an assignment isn’t finished and it’s due tomorrow, students might say, ‘We’re so cooked,’” he said.

Depending on context, however, it can also mean the opposite — that something has gone exceptionally well, as in: “We cooked.”

Sigma, meanwhile, is often used sarcastically. 

Maryam and Lei said the term carries a playful, ironic tone rather than genuine praise.

“It’s like saying, ‘You’re cool,’ but in a joking way that suggests you’re not that cool,” Lei said.

Why slang keeps changing

Lyly said that while some slang terms have clearer meanings, many are intentionally flexible.

“Some, like ‘That’s not TUFF’ or ‘mid’, are more specific,” she said. 

“But others — like skibidi or 6–7 — are mainly just for fun.”

Maryam added that slang allows young people to experiment freely with language, while Lei described the current generation as a blend of “chill and hype”, shaped by memes and shared online experiences.

For outsiders, the language may feel baffling — almost like it needs scientific decoding. 

But for those fluent in it, that’s part of the appeal. 

And if history is any guide, today’s strange slang is only the beginning.