Forget definitions and rational explanations: the latest viral phenomenon is called “6 7” – or “Six Seven” – and means absolutely nothing except to the Alpha generation (the so-called pure digital natives), who elected him slang term of the moment. After the success of “Skibidi Boppy”, “Six Seven” has conquered different generations and different social platforms (from TikTok to Instagram), transforming itself into a phenomenon without logic and without rules so powerful as to deserve the consecration of “word of the year 2025” according to the Oxford Dictionary.
How the trend was born
The catchphrase “Six Seven” has its roots in the American music scene: it was “Doot Doot (6 7)“, song from rapper Skrilla, which became the soundtrack of short videos initially shared by NBA players on social media. Thus the transition to memes it was short: the expression began to circulate among younger users, transforming into an iconic gesture accompanied by hands swinging up and down as if to say “so-so” or “maybe this, maybe that”. Its success exploded in the States when the catchphrase landed on TV, even appearing in an episode of the popular animated series “South Park“.
The meaning of “Six Seven”
The meaning of “6 7” remains somewhat ambiguous: the expression has no precise meaning but it has found the key to its virality precisely in non-sense. “Six Seven” is both an exclamation and a intercalatebut also a phrase to express a general mood, often one of amusement. “It’s something that’s used to say, ‘I’m part of this generation. This is who I am.’ It’s a bit like a joke within the group of friends”explained Steve Johnson, director of Dictionary.com which elected “Six Seven” word of the year 2025.
Oxford Dictionary’s choice is clear and precise and has rewarded not only the virality of the expression but above all its use, which has had a real escalation in the last ten months.
“What we thought would disappear, continued to grow and grow, turning into a kind of cultural phenomenon.” Johnson said: “The new generation is flexing their linguistic muscles and making a dramatic impact on the English language. That’s something to celebrate and applaud“.