If you have ever gotten a text ending with WBU and you did not know what it was, you are not alone. Since texting and social media have dominated our everyday interactions, the art of using short abbreviations has become a language on its own - particularly in the case of kids and teens. Today, we’re going to explore the WBU meaning and learn how and when to use it.
What Does WBU Mean?
WBU is an acronym that means What About You? It is a fast and informal method to reverse a question to the speaker. People only type WBU to continue the conversation rather than typing the entire phrase.
For example:
I am going to watch Netflix tonight, WBU?
I ate some pizza at lunch, WBU?
It's that simple. WBU is simply a conversation boomerang - you give something, you pass the same question along.
Where Did WBU Come From?
WBU can be traced to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when SMS texting was limited to 160 characters and individuals needed to abbreviate everything. It was popular on AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo Chat, and has since made its way all the way to Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok.
Is WBU Safe for Kids?
Yes, completely. WBU is a harmless, commonplace slang word. It is not even a code phrase to refer to anything inappropriate; it is simply a manner of children chatting with their friends and family over the internet.
Similar Slang Terms to Know
If your child uses WBU, they might also use:
HBU- How About You?
WYD What You Doing?
HRU – How Are You?
SUP – What's Up?
When Not to Use WBU
WBU is fine in informal conversations, but is not to be used in business emails, in school assignments, or any other form of formal correspondence where proper language is required.
Stay in the Know with Saferloop
Understanding slang is one part of keeping your kids safe online. Saferloop lets parents go a step further with screen time, content filtering, activity tracking, and real-time alerts, all on a single super simple dashboard. Since it is equally important to know what your child is saying as it is to know who they are talking to.
