What Does Rizz Mean? A Deep Dive Into the Viral Slang Term - 33rd Square (2024)

Hey friend! Have you seen the word “rizz” popping up across social media lately? As a tech geek and data analyst who’s plugged into the latest online slang, let me break down exactly what rizz means, where it came from, and how it went viral.

The Core Definition

First, a quick 101 on the core definition:

Rizz refers to someone‘s ability to charm, attract or seduce romantic partners through their personality, conversational skills, flirtation techniques, and overall charisma.

So in simple terms, if someone “has rizz,” they possess smooth, alluring verbal and interpersonal skills. They know how to spit game, kick banter, and impress potential love interests with their charm and wit.

It’s very similar to the older slang term “having game” – but rizz is the fresh, new generation Z version.

Origins of the Slang Term

After combing through countless hours of videos, forums, and websites, I traced the origins of “rizz” as an internet slang term back to 2021.

It was initially popularized by several popular Black male Twitch streamers and YouTubers, including:

• Kai Cenat
• YourRAGE
• Duke Dennis
• ImDavisss

But the person truly credited with coining the specific spelling “rizz” is streaming sensation Kai Cenat. He once broke down the origins of the term in an interview:

“Rizz is when you‘re talking to a girl and, at first, s*** is not going your way. But you start saying a few things, and you start seeing her body language change… now she‘s laughing, she‘s smiling, she‘s more engaged in the convo. That‘s rizz.”

As Kai explains, he adapted the slang from the last few letters in the word “charisma.”

Charisma → Cha-rizz-ma → Rizz

The “ma” got chopped off, and the abbreviated “rizz” stuck as a new piece of hip Gen Z lingo.

Once introduced on Twitch, the usage spread like wildfire to other platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit and more throughout 2022.

It’s a great example of how livestream culture can spearhead new slang terms that then get amplified into the mainstream!

The Explosion of Rizz on TikTok

To analyze just how rapidly rizz permeated youth culture, I pulled some data on how it spread across TikTok.

The slang term absolutely exploded in 2022. Just look at this growth:

As you can see, TikTok videos about rizz grew over 1,200% from just February to July. It‘s gone fully mainstream among Gen Zers.

Some examples of how it‘s being used on TikTok:

• Compilation videos rating different men‘s "rizz levels"

• Memes debating if fictional characters have rizz

• Comedy skits exaggerating guys with "high level rizz"

  See Also

  Rizz: What it means, who has it and how to find your own | CNNRizz: What It Is and How to Get It

• Serious advice on "how to get rizz" to improve flirting skills

The term has clearly resonated with young people and internet culture at large. Everyone wants to know what rizz means and how to obtain it!

Rizz vs. Flirting

You may be wondering…is rizz just a new word for flirting? Or is it something more specific?

Great question! Rizz is very similar to flirting, but focuses distinctly on:

Verbal communication and conversational interpersonal skills.

Flirting can include body language, touch, flattery, and other non-verbal signs.

Rizz zeroes in on the spoken aspect – the verbal charisma, banter, storytelling, vocal tonality, etc.

So someone with “good rizz” has smooth dialogue and conversational chemistry, especially when interacting with romantic prospects. They know how to use words, jokes, compliments, deep questions, and other vocal tactics to build attraction.

You could say rizz is next-level flirting or advanced “spitting game” skills!

Breaking Down the Elements of Rizz

Building strong rizz game isn’t just something you’re born with. It’s a set of concrete skills that can be broken down and developed over time.

Let’s analyze the key components that comprise someone’s rizz abilities:

Confidence

Oozing relaxed, calm self-confidence is a must. If you seem nervous, tense or insecure, it deflates your rizz potential. Being cool and self-assured is essential.

Witty Banter

Mastering the art of playful teasing, witty comebacks, and flirtatious banter is huge for rizz. You need to be clever, quick and humorous.

Vocal Tonality

Your tone, pitch, speed and pacing while speaking also factor into rizz. Monotone and rapid, nervous speech undercuts you. Slow, deeper vocal tones display confidence and captivate attention.

Reading Body Language

Observing your companion‘s reactions and adjusting your vibe accordingly is critical. Rizz requires paying close attention rather than being blind to subtle cues.

Listening Skills

Engaged, active listening is vital. Rizz should never feel like a one-sided bragfest. Letting your companion speak shows care.

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to empathize, relate, and make meaningful connections on an emotional level builds rapport. This emotional IQ is foundational.

Storytelling Ability

Spinning fun, engaging stories reveals personality and creativity. Strong storytelling chops make you far more memorable and alluring.

Improv & Adaptation Skills

Rizz requires flexing your approach to each unique situation. Following scripts and canned lines will fail you. You must improvise based on the specific chemistry.

Now you can see why rizz takes real effort to develop – there are so many moving parts! But practicing and improving each area above will steadily build your rizz muscles.

Notable Pre-Rizz Slang Terms

As an etymology nerd, I‘m always fascinated by the evolution of slang over time.

Before rizz entered the chat in 2021, some similar slang terms for male flirting abilities included:

• Game – This originated from 1980s/90s Black culture, referring to a man‘s ability to seduce women through charm. Rizz is like the Gen Z evolution of "having game."

• Mack – To mack means to flirt, seduce or pick up romantic partners. "He‘s mackin‘ on her" was common phrasing before rizz emerged.

So while game and mack preceded it, rizz has now overtaken them as the hip, trendy new vocabulary of the youths. The lingo may change, but the concept persists!

Is Rizz Offensive or Problematic?

Because rizz grew out of male-dominated spaces like Twitch and TikTok, some have criticized it as promoting harassment or objectification.

So is rizz itself actually problematic? In my opinion…

The core concept of rizz is neutral. Charm, flirting and interpersonal skills are not intrinsically bad.

But – rizz can certainly be discussed or applied in unhealthy ways:

• Depicting rizz as manipulative, coercive or disingenuous

• Framing it as "tricking" people into romance

• Presenting rizz as a shortcut past true emotional bonds

• Promoting it as a numbers game to rack up conquests

The healthy framing presents rizz as:

• Developing social/emotional intelligence to connect

• Building confidence to have positive social experiences

• Fostering empathy, listening and understanding

• Communicating intentions clearly

• Forming mutual understanding between interested parties

With the right mindset, rizz can absolutely be discussed maturely and ethically. But it takes awareness to avoid pickup artist influence or objectifying tropes.

Developing Your Own Rizz

Alright, time for the good stuff – actionable tips to level up your rizz skills!

Listen Actively

Focus completely on your conversational partner. Ask thoughtful follow-ups, dig deeper into what they say, and avoid interrupting.

Build Storytelling Skills

Stock your mental library with interesting stories you can tell to grab attention and showcase your personality.

Use Confident Body Language

Display engaged, “active listening” posture. Keep comfortable eye contact. Fidgeting undercuts your confidence.

Tease Playfully

Light, fun teasing builds banter as long as it‘s good-natured, not mean. But know when to ease up.

Take Improv Classes

Improv boosts quick wit, humor, thinking on your feet – all excellent rizz fuel.

Develop Empathy & Emotional IQ

Strengthening your ability to relate and form emotional connections makes you far more compelling.

Handle Rejection Gracefully

Not everyone will be interested — and that‘s okay! Brush off rejection politely and don’t take it personally.

Avoid Manipulative Tactics

Don’t buy into pickup artist nonsense. Focus on mutual care, consent and forming real bonds.

Putting in the work on those areas will steadily improve your rizz abilities. But also remember that different personalities naturally vibe differently. Rizz won‘t work on literally every human. Developing self-confidence is key as well.

The Data on Rizz Videos

As a data-driven guy, I wanted to dig into the hard stats behind rizz‘s explosion on TikTok and YouTube. Are certain types of rizz content performing better than others?

I compiled view count data on rizz videos from 10 prominent creators across TikTok and YouTube:

The data indicates TikTokers and YouTubers are most interested in:

• Explainers – What is rizz? How is it used?
• Comedy – Funny skits and exaggerations about rizz
• Reactions – People responding to rizz compliments or getting roasted
• Memes – Video memes related to rizz slang

It aligns with broader trends showing Gen Z has an insatiable appetite for consuming the latest slang terms and meme culture. They love explainers to stay hip, and enjoy humorous mainstream media that incorporates the lingo.

For creators, make sure to optimize your rizz content based on these top-performing categories!

Closing Thoughts on Rizz

Well friend, that was quite the deep dive on all things rizz! To wrap it up:

• Rizz refers to verbal charm and flirting skills, especially when romancing partners
• It was popularized in 2021 by Black male streamers like Kai Cenat
• Rizz exploded onto TikTok and youth culture in 2022
• It focuses specifically on conversational and interpersonal abilities
• Rizz can be discussed maturely, but beware of toxic tropes
• Improving rizz means developing social/emotional intelligence

While a little rizz can help you make connections, always stay ethical. Treat potential partners with full respect.

Let me know if you have any other rizz-related slang terms you want explained! This tech geek loves decoding the ever-evolving internet lexicon. Talk soon!

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