What does IYKYK mean? Internet slang term explained

TikTok logo on phoneUnsplash: Olivier Bergeron

One of the many different acronyms that have come from social media is IYKYK. But with so many different acronyms to keep track of, it can be difficult to keep track of the meaning.

Platforms like Twitter and TikTok have popularized several new slang terms and acronyms, such as “moots”, “mid” and “FYP”. But with so many of them these days it can be hard to keep up if you’re out of the loop.

Article continues after ad

One term that is particularly popular on social media is the acronym “IYKYK”, which can be written both capitalized and non-capitalized. But what exactly does it mean?

TikTok logo and other apps on a phoneUnsplash: Solen Feyissa
TikTok is one of the biggest sources of new slang terms online.

What does IYKYK mean?

IYKYK is an acronym that stands for “If you know, you know.” It essentially refers to a reference or throwback that only certain people will get, though that group of people depends entirely on the context.

The term is often used when people are making references to anything from TV shows to memories from people’s childhood and may be written as part of a sentence, on its own, or as a hashtag.

Article continues after ad

Some trends on TikTok even used the phrase in videos meant to intentionally confuse people who are out of the loop, by talking about or doing something nonsensical.

So essentially, if you see the term “IYKYK” alongside something you don’t understand, the chances are you aren’t the target audience for the post.

If there are other words people are using on social media, TikTok in particular, that you don’t know the meaning of, you can check out our slang guide here.

Article continues after ad