Gen Alpha slang · Abbreviation
ts
Ts is Gen Alpha slang for "this shit" or "that shit", tacked on for emphasis. Rated "Not safe" for adult use.
Where it came from
Text shorthand that hides a swear word. Distractify linked its 2025 spread to middle-schoolers on TikTok after a teacher posted a video in April 2025 decoding strings such as "icl ts pmo". Dictionary.com records an older, separate sense: "tough shit".
Tone check
Not for kids to use. The letters hide a swear word, which is the point: a child can type it in front of adults who do not know. Some people read it as "talk soon", so context matters.
Checked against: Distractify, Aug 2025; Dictionary.com, TS; El Paso Times via Yahoo, 22 Mar 2025.
Added to this dictionary 2 November 2026
Used in a sentence
"ts so hard"
"icl ts pmo"
Related words
Keep decoding
a tongue posture claimed to reshape the jawline
taking a small portion of someone's food
on god — I swear this is true
to withhold something so others cannot enjoy it
an expression of admiration or disbelief
a sentence opener signalling a strong opinion
improving your life by copying an Italian grandmother's habits
a genre of AI-generated nonsense characters with fake Italian names