Chat · Tips
brb, afk, asl? A guide to chat room slang, old and new
What brb, afk, ttyl, ngl and iykyk mean, which chat habits from the 2000s are still alive, a few Kiwi extras, and the emoticons that turn into emoji when you type them.
Chatroom · 15 October 2026 · 2 min read
Chat rooms have always had their own shorthand. Some of it is older than most smartphones, some of it arrived last year. Here's what it all means.
The classics (still going strong)
| Type | Means | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| brb | be right back | You're stepping away for a minute |
| bbl | be back later | You're gone for a while |
| afk | away from keyboard | You've gone but you're still signed in |
| g2g / gtg | got to go | You're signing off |
| ttyl | talk to you later | A friendly goodbye |
| wb | welcome back | Someone's just come back |
| lol | laughing out loud | Mostly means "ha", not actual laughing |
| rofl / lmao | properly laughing | It was actually funny |
| jk | just kidding | Saving a joke that landed badly |
| np / ty | no problem / thank you | Every day |
| imo / imho | in my (humble) opinion | Before a hot take |
| irl | in real life | Offline |
| pm / dm | private / direct message | Taking it out of the room |
| tl;dr | too long; didn't read | The short version |
The newer ones
| Type | Means |
|---|---|
| ngl | not gonna lie |
| tbh | to be honest |
| fr | for real |
| idk | I don't know |
| smh | shaking my head |
| rn | right now |
| hbu / wbu | how about you / what about you |
| wyd | what are you doing |
| iykyk | if you know, you know |
| lowkey | a little bit, quietly |
A few Kiwi extras
Yeah nah means no. Nah yeah means yes. Sweet as means great, no problem. Chur means thanks, or cheers. Stoked means very happy. Heaps means a lot. Hard out means definitely, or very. Munted means broken. If someone in the lobby says they're "stoked as, chur", that's a good day.
The one to retire: asl
"asl?" (age, sex, location) was the opening line in every chat room in 2002. Please leave it there. It's a fast way to look like you're only after one thing, and nobody owes a stranger those details. On Chatroom, people choose what to show on their profile. Ask about their day instead. Our 10 conversation starters have better openers.
Emoticons that turn into emoji
On Chatroom, typed emoticons turn into emoji the way they did in early-2000s messengers:
- Faces: :) 🙂, :D 😄, ;) 😉, :( 🙁, :'( 😢, :P 😛, :O 😮, :@ 😠, :S 😕, :$ 😳
- Characters: (H) 😎, (A) 😇, (6) 😈
- Hearts and kisses: (L) or <3 ❤️, (U) 💔, (K) 💋, (F) 🌹
- Everything else: (Y) 👍, (N) 👎, (*) ⭐, (B) 🍺, (C) ☕, (Z) 😴
Try them out in the lobby. Chatroom is for New Zealand adults 18+, $14.99 once. See the rooms.