What Does “SYBAU” Mean? Definition, Usage & Origin

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Learn why kids are saying “SYBAU” over text & social media

Co-authored by Bailey Cho

Last Updated: October 18, 2025

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Meaning & Usage

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Origins

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More TikTok Slang

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FAQs

If you’ve been seeing “SYBAU” over text and on social media recently, then you’ve just discovered one of the latest brainrot terms taking over the internet. Luckily, we’re explaining everything you need to know about this trendy acronym, including its meaning, usage, and origins. We’ll also cover other popular TikTok terms and answer burning FAQs from parents.

What does “SYBAU” mean?

“SYBAU” means “shut your b**** a** up” in slang. It’s an aggressive way to tell someone to shut up over text and on social media. Kids and Gen-Zers often comment “SYBAU” on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to avoid being flagged for expletives.

Section 1 of 4:

“SYBAU” Meaning & Usage

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“SYBAU” stands for “shut your b**** a** up.” Used in texting and on social media, “SYBAU” is a sassy, rude, or disrespectful way to tell someone to be quiet, similar to “STFU” (shut the f*** up). People often say it when they want to end a conversation, or if the other person says something wild, ridiculous, or completely out of line.^{[1]
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- Kids are not only saying “SYBAU” to other kids but also to their parents, since most parents are unaware of what it means.
- It’s a running joke among Gen-Zers that “SYBAU” means “stay young, beautiful, and unique” or “stay young, beautiful, or unstoppable,” but that is false. These alternate meanings are often used to mislead adults and be funny online.
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Use “SYBAU” to tell someone to shut up. This is the most common way to use “SYBAU,” whether you’re being silly or serious. If someone is annoying you or sharing a hot take, it can be a casual way to tell them to be quiet, without being overly rude or aggressive. On the flip side, if they’re saying something out of line or the conversation is tense, you can also use the term in an angrier way to tell them to shut up. Context matters, and people use the term both playfully and disrespectfully.^{[2]
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- Them: “Cricket is better than baseball.” You: “Man, SYBAU. Baseball is 10000% better.”
- Them: “Take out the trash, it’s overflowing.” You: “SYBAU. I’ve done it the past 3 times. It’s your turn.”
- Them: “I think Carly is into me.” You: “SYBAU… She doesn’t even know your name and has a boyfriend 🙄.”
- Them: “Basketball court at 10 PM. Let’s see if you can back up your words in real life.” You: “SYBAU. Who do you think you are?”
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Comment “SYBAU” on social media to show disagreement. If you come across content that you don’t support or agree with, leave “SYBAU” in the comment section to express your opinion online. It’s frequently used on TikTok and Instagram to avoid getting flagged, censored, or shadow-banned for using expletives.^{[3]
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Section 2 of 4:

Origins of “SYBAU”

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“SYBAU” became popular on TikTok at the end of 2024. The term was first defined on Urban Dictionary as early as November 19, 2003, but it surged in popularity around the end of 2024, along with other brainrot terms like PMO (put me on) and TS (this s***). Users began commenting “SYBAU” on social media to tell content creators to shut up, both playfully and disrespectfully.^{[4]
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- For more examples of the term, check out this video of a dad discovering what SYBAU means, or this video of a man explaining when to use SYBAU!

Section 3 of 4:

More TikTok Slang

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New slang and trends are constantly popping up on TikTok. Things happen fast on the app, and the users are constantly coming up with new terms and trends. Check out our article that covers the most popular slang words on TikTok, as well as the following slang words and trends below:
- ICL: This slang term means “I can’t lie.”
- TS: This stands for “talk soon,” “tough s***,” or “this s***.”
- SBF: This stands for “straight best friend” or “single black female” in slang.
- Szn: This is short for “season.” It can refer to a traditional season, like summer or winter, but most people use it to discuss holidays, events, sports seasons, or personal phases.
- PMO: This stands for “pissing me off” or “put me on.” If it’s the latter, it’s a request for someone to show you something new or provide a recommendation.
- Bop: A “bop” is someone who posts promiscuous photos online or has lots of sexual partners. It’s a misogynistic term that’s used to shame women and is highly disrespectful.
- Type shi: Whether it’s clothes, music, jewelry, or a luxury lifestyle, “type shi” can be used to talk about anything cool, impressive, or high quality. It can also be used to agree with someone, similar to saying “I feel you” or “I hear you.”
- Ten toes down: When you’re “ten toes down,” you’re fully loyal to a person, cause, or belief. You stand firm in your values, no matter what other people say, and you aren’t afraid to embrace your authentic self.

Section 4 of 4:

Frequently Asked Questions

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What does “SYBAU” mean in Korean? The word “SYBAU” doesn’t exist in Korean, but some people get it confused with the Korean curseword “ssi-bal” (씨발), which is equivalent to the F-word in English.
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How do you pronounce “SYBAU?” There’s not a universally accepted way to pronounce “SYBAU,” but many TikTok users claim it’s either “see-bow,” “sigh-bow,” “sigh-bao,” or “S.Y.B.A.U.”
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What should I do if my kid says “SYBAU”? Ask your child where they first heard the term, who around them uses it the most, and what they think it means. Then, explain to them how it can be hurtful and offensive, without getting mad. Most kids believe “SYBAU” is funny because adults don’t know what it actually means, but by changing their perspective, you can teach them the importance of their words and respecting others.^{[5]
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