From my lens: Some Gen Z dating terms you need to know

Have you listened to NIKI's 2022 song "Backburner"? The line "I'll always be in your corner 'Cause I don't feel alive 'til I'm burnin' on your backburner" might resonate with you. This is just one of the many Gen Z terms you might hear or be unfamiliar with when discussing dating today.

In the past, if you were unsure whether you were exclusively seeing each other, Filipinos would say, "we are MU." MU stands for "Mutual Understanding." However, this term has fallen out of use among Gen Z, who now prefer the term "situationship." In this list, you'll find five Gen Z dating terms you need to know.

Too much charm

When someone easily makes you giggle or feel "kilig," you might call them charming or alluring. However, on social media, Gen Z users refer to such individuals as having "rizz." The term "rizz" is derived from "charisma," which, according to the Oxford English Dictionary—who chose it as the 2023 Word of the Year—describes someone who attracts others through their attractiveness. So, instead of saying, "I found my crush charming," you might say, "My crush has a lot of rizz."

Keeping it lowkey

They say people need to see something with their own eyes to believe it. This is true on social media, where users don't assume a couple is dating unless they say so or post a photo together. Gen Z has a subtle way to announce their relationships called a "soft launch." This term refers to revealing one's relationship status through vague romantic pictures on your feed or timeline. Sometimes, this involves posting a Story featuring matching items or a hidden pose of your significant other without showing their face. Let the guessing game begin!

Loving excessively

Sometimes, it's hard to believe because it seems too good to be true. Receiving gifts during the getting-to-know stage and talking about marriage without years of being together can appear as excessive affection. Your friends might warn you that you are experiencing "love bombing." This term refers to showing overwhelming affection and love towards someone they are romantically attracted to. Experts say this behavior can be a manipulative tactic used by abusers or narcissists. It's important to test the waters before saying yes!

A back-up plan

Have you ever been liked but not pursued? Or been someone's go-to person but not their date? If so, you might be their "back burner." Similar to the phrase "on the back burner," this term refers to keeping someone close while focusing on something else. In a relationship sense, you're a back burner if the person you like continues talking or flirting with you without intending to date you. Worse, if things don't work out with the person they are pursuing, you become their backup plan.

The Gen Z dating term you need to know

MU is out, and situationship is in! If you ask a Gen Z couple if they are MU, they might raise an eyebrow. The acronym MU stands for “mutual understanding,” similar to the term “situationship.” Like MU, being in a situationship means the relationship status is undefined. They aren't talking to others but aren't officially dating either. Despite the lack of an official label, a couple in a situationship sticks together until they decide to define their relationship. However, having a label still signifies commitment!

Discover Marjorie Lumapas's unique take on Filipino culture in her 'From My Lens' series—keep reading to see the world through her eyes!