What does YT mean on TikTok? Slang definition explained

New acronyms are being invented on social media platforms almost daily. This time, the abbreviation "YT" has gone viral on TikTok. Those who thought they were up to date with the acronym shared their reactions after learning the term's actual meaning.

YT is widely recognized as the short form of YouTube, which people often use in chats. However, TikTok somehow always plays the last card of surprising everyone with its new innovations.

According to Urban Dictionary, aside from YouTube, the acronym also refers to "a white person." It is used more like a shortened pronunciation of whitey. If the letters Y and T are uttered together, it would sound like whitey.

People who already knew the alternate meaning of the term started using it, while those who didn’t think it was referring to white people and not YouTube started getting confused over its relevance on TikTok. Soon enough, the abbreviation went viral.

Using abbreviations to simplify words is a great way to be concise. However, they are often more confusing than normal language because most people don't know what the abbreviated term means.

To keep up with social media lingo, one must constantly look for new abbreviations. The popularity of these informal terms doesn’t seem to die down anytime soon. Instead, their usage seems to be getting ingrained in the younger generation.

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No more getting confused between YT and YouTube

Many TikTokers were unaware of the term YT even though the slang has been around on Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter for quite some time. As a result, TikTok users are talking about how they thought people were referring to YouTube when using the term. Moreover, as they learned that the term was implied to mean a white person, they felt out of the loop.

While calling himself "slow" for not being updated with YT's actual meaning, user @andreswilley jokingly said:

“I’m so slow. Alright wait, if you already know what this means, you can keep scrolling. If you don’t know what this means, stay here. I’m gonna educate you.”

He wondered why he kept thinking the term meant YouTube when it was being referred to as white. Earlier, someone asked him if his mother is YT, which is why he got confused thinking they were asking if his mother is on YouTube.

Another TikToker, @halliegaltok, shared in her video that she was clueless about "yt ppl" meaning white people. In the caption, she wrote:

“I finally know what 'yt ppl' means...anyone else late to the party?”

She even asked her followers:

“Am I the only person that thought YT, when someone texts it or writes it, meant YouTube? Since when did YT mean white? Like, who changed it!”

Since some of these apps put a limit on how many characters one can use in a single post, resorting to acronyms only makes it easier. Some netizens might be a bit late to keep up with the abbreviations, but the enlightenment brings out its share of fun.

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Similar TikTok slang to stay updated on

The usage of slang, more popularly known as internet slang, is another common part of pop culture. Talking in codes and shorthand is only enjoyable once everyone involved is aware of all the terms.

Some of the newly emerged terms would include BFFR. Many users initially confused the term with "best friends forever," while others asked how one was supposed to pronounce it together. It turns out that the slang means "be f***ing for real." Another pair of acronyms, DTN and DTNFL, went viral, which stands for "Don’t trust no one" and "Don’t trust no one for life."

Some other abbreviations sound even more confusing with gaming terminologies. The slang NPC went viral a few months back, and those acquainted with gaming thought it referred to a "non-playable character." While it did stand for that, the implications were different. Millennials and Gen Z use NPC to refer to people who act in a certain manner by compulsion.