7 Internet Slangs You Need To Know To Understand The Young (Because You're Old Now)
What on earth do Aura Farming, Fanum Tax, and Clock It even mean?
By Sukhbir Cheema — 09 Jun 2025, 03:55 PM
Each year, a fresh set of Internet phrases lodges itself in the collective brain, just as we begin to understand last year's
In 2025, it's not just about sounding cool online.
It's about flexing identity, social status, and meme fluency, whether you're scrolling TikTok, lurking on Twitch, or just trying to decode what your teenager just said at dinner.
Here's your cheat sheet to the terms currently ruling the web.
Let them cook / I'm cooked
When someone says, "Let me cook," they're asking for space to show what they can do. It's usually something bold, creative, or slightly unhinged.
But if someone says they're "cooked"? That's the opposite. It means they've hit a wall, burnt out, or just completely done.
Example:
"Don't kacau, let me cook this Raya outfit combo, it's gonna go viral."
"After that 3-hour jam from PJ to Shah Alam, I'm so cooked."
Ate / Chewed / Nibbled
If something "ate", it absolutely slayed. No notes, no crumbs left.
It's high praise for outfits, performances, or even comebacks in WhatsApp group chats.
"She chewed" is still good, just not legendary.
"She nibbled"? Nice try, lah.
Example:
"Her Merdeka Day makeup look? She ate and left no crumbs."
"Okay lah, he chewed during the debate, but didn't fully eat."
"That dance move… she nibbled, but still needs work."
Fanum tax
A playful term with surprising reach, "Fanum tax" describes the act of stealing someone's food, usually without permission.
It originated from Twitch streamer Fanum who once said, "Feed your friends, bro."
What started as a joke has since evolved into shorthand for any cheeky social tax, be it snacks, emotional labour, or attention.
Example:
"Oi I just bought McD and this fella took my fries without asking. Fanum tax, apparently."
Aura farming
This one's less about agriculture, more about energy.
To "aura farm" means to cultivate a vibe so magnetic, it practically commands the room. It's the art of being that person, you know, confident, charismatic, and a little bit mysterious.
The phrase hit peak usage this year thanks to Solo Leveling’s main character, Sung Jinwoo, who levelled up so hard he became the anime world's reigning aura farmer.
Example:
"Bro, did you see Aiman walk into the café in that baju Melayu? He's aura farming like mad."
Mogger
A mogger is someone who walks into a room and unintentionally makes everyone else look mid.
It's a term that lives in the "looksmaxxing" corners of the Internet, the places obsessed with face symmetry, jawlines, and glow-ups.
If you've been mogged, don't worry, it happens to the best of us.
Example:
"Everyone was dressed okay at the open house until Sofea showed up. She's a full-on mogger."
Mewing
Originally a wellness hack meant to chisel your jawline by pressing your tongue to your palate, "mewing" has taken a left turn in schools.
Some Malaysian students now claim they can't answer questions because they're "too busy mewing".
It's part beauty trend, part excuse and totally on-brand for Gen Alpha.
Example:
"Cikgu called on Adam in class, and he just sat there mewing like it's a full-time job."
Clock it
"Clock it. Manchester United will win the English Premier League next season."
Image via Afta Putta Gunawan / PexelsThis one's like dropping a breadcrumb.
"Clock it" means take note of this, remember it, or I called it.
It's a stylish way to mark something for future reference, often right before a twist unfolds or a friend's "bad vibes" prediction turns out to be bang on.
Example:
"Clock it. I said this brand would jadi famous before everyone else jumped on it."
