What Does Larp Mean? Guide To Teen Slang

If there’s not a day that goes by where you aren’t scratching your head over something your teen’s said, you’ve come to the right place.

Today we’re talking about the Gen Z term ‘larp’, which tweens and teens might call each other, or mention in comments online. The clue is absolutely not in the name. So, what on earth does it mean?

“People are calling each other larps which Google says is ‘live action role play’ but that sentence literally makes no sense, so what are they saying?” asked one Redditor who was equally baffled by it.

The Redditor is correct that larp comes from the gaming term ‘live action role-playing’, which is where people physically act out characters. For example, wearing costumes and acting out scenes from their favourite computer games.

But over time, the term has also evolved to mean someone pretending to be something they’re not. You can be a larper or larping, too.

One Redditor explained: “LARPing usually involves some form of acting.

“So if you’re calling someone a larper you’re saying they are acting a part, calling them fake basically, that they are pretending to be something they aren’t, and/or their behaviour is performative.”

In short, it’s become an insult and a way to call someone out. As another Redditor noted, larper has become “a common insult online used to imply the person is making shit up”.

Some teachers report kids are saying “call your Uber” or “call yo Uber” in class. Uber is a popular ride-hailing company so it’s kind of like saying, “call yourself a taxi”. In short: you need to leave.

When Gen Alpha uses it, “mid” means mediocre or of disappointing quality. If you’re described as “mid” by a teenager then they’re basically saying you are… average.

According to Merriam-Webster, “mid” serves to express that something falls short of expectations, or isn’t impressive.

The dictionary notes that this slang term is thought to have come from a shortening of the term mid-grade, “a designation in cannabis culture of medium quality”.

“City boy, city boy” is the call of Gen Alpha currently, with TikTok creator and teacher Philip Lindsay noting kids in his class have been saying it.

“It’s a meme from an old video clip that they’re just repeating,” explained the teacher, who is based in the US. The memes actually first did the rounds in 2022 and appear to be popular again.

From a Gen Alpha perspective, Mr Lindsay suggested the phrase doesn’t really mean anything and kids are just shouting it out at all opportunities – a bit like six-seven.

This is short for “uncle”. And, per Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, it’s “often used humorously to indicate old age” and may imply “someone is old, getting old, or acting older than their age”.

Unc status may also be awarded to someone who “exhibit[s] behaviours that are considered outdated or out of touch”.