Welcome back to “A Boomer’s Guide to Brainrot”! In this series, we will explore the nuances of the world of brainrot and make understanding the ever-evolving teenage slang easy for boomers like you! Our goal is to provide you with a handy dictionary to use for any occasion! Whether you’re walking down the street hearing kids scream “skibidi toilet” and “nothing beats a Jet2 Holiday,” simply curious about what teenagers are up to these days, or just want to gain some insight into how to de-age yourself to speak like an alpha, this dictionary is perfect to refer to anytime. Let’s get brainrotting! 

Italian Brainrot

1. Tung Tung Tung Sahur

Did you know that the Tung Tung Tung Sahur, the main character in the Italian AI brainrot cast, isn’t actually Italian? I know, what a shocker! In reality, the name comes from a Ramadan tradition in Indonesia. “Tung tung tung” is reminiscent of the morning drumming sounds that wake people up for Sahur, the pre-fast meal of the day. Despite this character not being strictly “Italian,” brainrot culture is quite nonsensical, and he was grouped into the category due to his thickly Italian accented voiceover. Now, this sounds way too educational and complicated for a supposed brainrot meme, doesn’t it? Well, fear not, because I didn’t know this either before writing this article. However, that’s not all. This meme first originated from a TikTok audio created in 2025, with the unique AI-generated character making its debut as a mysterious figure who appears if you ignore the wakeup call three times. Tung Tung Tung Sahur exploded in popularity, becoming the iconic brainrot sensation we know today. 

Example of use: “Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Sahur” 

2. Bombardino Crocodilo

Bombardino Crocodilo, another well-known figure of the Italian brainrot community, is often known as the villain of the series. Every good story needs a villain after all, and poor Bombardino was thrown under the bus. This character is not nearly as lore-packed as the previous, thankfully. We’d be here forever if it were. This unique figure was born as an AI-generated crocodile absolutely decked out in military gear: bombs, missiles, you name it! Bombardino Crocodilo’s got it all. He rose to fame through AI voiceovers in an iconic Italian accent, unofficially being cast as Tung Tung Tung Sahur’s arch-nemesis by the Internet. Because Italian brainrot has no specific lore, though, there is no evidence or specific instances of this rivalry. You will have to take the brainrot community’s word for this one 

Example of use: “BombarDINO CrocoDILO”

3. Ballerina Cappuccina 

Ballerina Cappuccina is another integral part of Italian brainrot. Created in March of 2025, this character is depicted as a humanoid ballerina with a coffee mug for a head. She is the wife of Cappuccino Assassino, a character closely resembling Ballerina Cappuccina. As implied in the name, he is an assassin with a cappuccino head. However,Tung Tung Tung Sahur and Tralalero Tralala, who will be introduced later, are also often said to be in love with her. Allegedly, Tung Tung Tung Sahur was her ex-boyfriend, and Tralalero Tralala secretly has a crush on her. Once again, there is no specific lore on this.

Example of use: “BallerINA CappuCCINA”

4. Tralalero Tralala

Tralalero Tralala, the fourth and final member of the four most iconic Italian brainrot characters, is a blue shark with elongated fins, creating three legs with Nike shoes. He is often depicted in an environment of a sandy beach with waves behind him. He is Ballerina Cappuccina’s secret lover.

Now, there are many more members of the Italian community, and if I were to introduce each and every one of them, we’d be here for quite a while. Therefore, here is an extensive list of other Italian brainrot characters:

• Lirili Larila 
• Cappuccino Assassino
• Boneca Ambalabu
• Brr Brr Patapim
• Chimpanzini Bananini
• Bombombini Gusini
• Tripi Tropi

Now, let’s move on to some more general brainrot topics.

6 7 Meme

This meme originates from the drill rap song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla and was popularized when edits of 6’7” NBA player LaMelo Ball paired with that song went viral. “6 7” has since been used in a nonsensical, humorous context when appearing together, like on a scoreboard or test grade. The meme inherently doesn’t have a deep meaning, but the silly, repetitive nature of the trend is what makes it entertaining. It is often paired with the gesture of both hands moving up and down, as six/seven often refers to a “so-so” on a scale of ten.

Labubus and Lafufus

A Labubu is a fuzzy, “ugly,” doll-like plushie that has recently been heavily popularized due to celebrity endorsement, most notably by LISA from BLACKPINK. People raced to buy these dolls after seeing LISA with it. The “blind box” element of Labubus, amplified by social media virality, reinforces the consumerism of this product, as people feel a dopamine rush of finding out which one they get. However, Labubus have also gained lots of criticism and controversy. The “blind box” element of the products causes mass overconsumption, to the extent where violent fights have emerged outside stores over people rushing to snatch their favorite Labubus. There has also been the emergence of Lafufus, which are fake Labubus. Although they are significantly cheaper, they often contain many loose and dangerous parts which can cause many accidents like acting as a choking hazard for kids.

Performative Males

A performative male is a man who conforms to a certain aesthetic to appeal to women. Key identifying features of your average performative male include: a tote bag with a Labubu on the shoulder, a matcha latte in one hand and feminist literature in the other (deeply engaged), and wired earbuds listening to artists like Clairo and Laufey.

The performative male persona was first popularized as an internet meme in 2025, becoming a term used to satirically criticize the shallowness and insincerity of many men. For example, people are hosting “performative male” contests to see who can be the most “performative” as a way to make a mockery of men who behave this way.

Now, onto some commonly used words that don’t need as much context, so we’ll transition into dictionary style.

Chopped: Ugly and unattractive, used to insult someone’s looks 

Crashing Out: Reaching an emotional or mental breaking point from being overwhelmed or burnt out

For Example: “I’m crashing out over 700 page APUSH Guided Readings!!”

Tweaking Out: Becoming agitated, usually caused by either feelings of worry or excitement

For Example:. “I’m gonna tweak out if you say skibidi again.”

Throwing/Selling: 

Throwing: To intentionally play poorly, give up a win, or grant an advantage to the opponent, frequently used in gaming and sports contexts.

Selling: To perform badly, make a mistake, or be ineffective, often leading to a loss, frequently used in gaming and sports contexts as well

For Example: If your teammate is playing badly, you might say “Stop throwing and lock in!!”

Chat: A term of address to a group of people, commonly used amongst friends, like “guys” or “friends.” This usage originated from livestream culture, where streamers address their viewers in the live comment section as “the chat.” 

For Example: “Chat should I buy this?” 

Tuff: A stylized, playful spelling of “tough” used to describe something or someone as cool, impressive, edgy, or resilient; commonly associated with having aura

For Example: “Bro, those shoes are so tuff.”

Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday: This popular internet meme was first created in 2022 by the British travel company Jet2holiday. It is based on the song “Hold My Hand” by Jess Glynne, the first part of the song playing at the beginning of the audio and then cutting into the advertisement. This audio became popularized in 2025, becoming a viral TikTok audio that was often paired with videos of travel fails or just general scenes of disaster. 

For example: “Darling, hold my hand Nothing beats a JET2 HOLIDAY, and right now, you can save 50 pounds PER PERSON! That’s 200 pounds per FAMILY OF FOUR!”

Clocked: Notice or calling out someone for something

Example of use: “I clocked that tea” means that you exposed or called out some previously concealed gossip.