Are Your Gen Z Kids Calling You 'Cheugy'? What It Means And The Signs That Say You’re One

Moms, we have a question. Do you have any of the following? F.R.I.E.N.D.S merchandise (a shirt, maybe?), a mug with the label #GirlBoss on it, a photo of you posing before Mt. Mayon (or any tourist spot) making it look like you’re “holding it in your hand”? If you said ‘yes’ to even one item, you may be a “cheugy.”

Ano daw?! We have the exact same reaction which may be the first giveaway that we here at SmartParenting.com.ph may be a cheugy, too. 

What does cheugy mean?

According to the Urban Dictionary, cheugy (pronounced chew-gee) is the opposite of trendy. “Stylish in middle school and high school but no longer in style.” The word is used when someone still follows these out-of-date trends and may include but not limited to fashion, habits on social media, usage of slang, among many ‘hard-to-pinpoint’ others.

The New York Times, in a recent article writes that cheugy is used “broadly to describe someone who is out of date or trying too hard.” Most of the time, they refer to anything that was a trend in the 90s to 2010s — so yes, millennial mom, you are most likely to be at the receiving end of this word.

But, wait, before you react, one Tiktok-er who made a video about it says that being cheugy doesn’t necessarily mean uncool so there’s nothing to be ashamed of.

So, who uses the term, you may ask? The Gen Zs — yes, Mommy, your children. All things deemed cheugy by their generation, you can check out on social media like @cheugylife on IG and @cheugy nights on Twitter or just search #cheugy.

Now that we’ve gotten the definition out of the way, we invite you to open your closet and social media posts and, together, let’s find out if you’re cheugy-proof or cheugy-proud. Gen-Xers, you may join the exercise because, we think, you are not completely immune to the label.

Below is a list of “cheugy” things and behavior we’ve identified based on IG posts that carried the hashtag #cheugy. If you said yes to or have more than three items on the list, then time to welcome yourself to cheugy-wonderland (even this pun reeks of cheugy-ness, but hey!).

1. A lettering in handwritten style in your kitchen wall (or any part of your house) that reads, “Live, Laugh, Love”
2. A cute Minion collectible or merchandise
3. “Friends” and “The Office” merch or weekend reruns
4. You still have skinny jeans
5. You post a photo of iced coffee on social media and write “It’s called self-care” or “coffee is life”
6. You’re planning a Disney-themed get together with your besties
7. Avocado on toast (really?)
8. Black matte coated polish on square shaped nails
9. Herbal Essences Shampoo
10. Pinterest (really, again?)
11. Gucci belts with ‘GG’ buckles (hmmm, agree)
12. Using the word ‘adulting’
13. Eos Lip Balm (the one that looks like an egg)
14. Board shorts (check out hubby’s closet for this one)
15. Birkenstocks

So, are you a cheugy, mom? Remember, it's not always a bad thing, so just embrace it and laugh it off!

Parents discipline their children in three ways. Click here to find out which one you are.

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