Aura Points, Bro Is Cooked & More: Why Gen Z Is Obsessed With Words That Mean Nothing

Gen Z is captivated by phrases that lack literal meaning, such as "Delulu," "Aura points," and "Bro is cooked." These seemingly nonsensical words have become a part of their culture due to tone, timing, repetition, and shared humor. A dictionary would have no clue about their significance, while a group chat would find them amusing.

Shanica Gonsalves, a 21-year-old advertising professional, explains that "Delulu" can be a joke, a self-deprecating remark, or a motivational statement, depending on how it's delivered. The timing of using these phrases is crucial; drop them too early or too late, and they lose their impact. Repetition reinforces their significance, turning them into a "sound" and a signal that says, "I am one of us."

Linguists may label this as phatic communication, language used to bond rather than inform. However, Gen Z has elevated it with memes, sound clips, and algorithmic speed. A phrase can rise to popularity within days and become ironic just as quickly. Vrandesh Gupta, a 23-year-old computer science student, compares the phenomenon to coding, where irrelevant code can still produce an output without error.

Adit Bhatt, a media planner, believes that these phrases represent a shift in the semantic ecosystem, similar to frequency theory in media planning. Meaningless phrases gain cultural currency through repeated exposure, creating a shared understanding among users. These phrases serve as passwords or jokes that require shared context to be understood. Attempting to explain them often renders them ineffective, which is why Gen Z refuses to do so.