TikTok Slang Explained: The Meaning & Origin of "Unspoken Rizz"

• "Unspoken rizz" is the ability to attract romantic or sexual interest without saying a word.
• The word "rizz" blew up on TikTok in 2021 after lifestyle vlogger and streamer Kai Cenat started using it in his videos.
• The hashtag “rizz” quickly racked up billions of views on TikTok and unspoken rizz memes have since flooded the internet.

What does “unspoken rizz” mean?

"Unspoken rizz" is the ability to attract others without saying a word. “Rizz” is the ability to easily charm or flirt with a romantic interest, usually by being a smooth talker. “Unspoken rizz” is an elite form of rizz that allows someone to skillfully attract romantic partners without saying anything—facial expressions, body language, and overall vibe are all the game they need. They ooze so much rizz that it speaks for them—that's unspoken rizz. Anyone can cultivate a little rizz if they work at it, but unspoken rizz is rare, innate, and mysterious. If someone has such a naturally intriguing vibe and demeanor that they attract crushes without saying anything, they have unspoken rizz.

Origin of “Rizz” and “Unspoken Rizz”

No one is completely sure where the term “rizz” came from. One theory is that “rizz” is short for “charisma” and the slang term originated in Baltimore. The concept of “rizz” hit the internet in 2021 after lifestyle vlogger and Twitch/YouTube streamer Kai Cenat started using it in his videos to explain his dating philosophy. Once Cenat’s followers got ahold of the term, it exploded on TikTok, with users posting videos about what rizz means, how to increase it, and how to achieve Cenat's holy grail rizz: unspoken rizz. Most of the TikTok videos show users looking seductively at the camera and beckoning with hand gestures to jokingly demonstrate their "unspoken rizz." To give you an idea of how massive this slang word has become amongst Gen-Z and TikTok users, the hashtag “rizz” has billions of views on TikTok. Yes, billions.

Using “Rizz” and “Unspoken Rizz” in Conversation

"Jamal is such a smooth talker—his rizz game is off the charts." Rizz is a pretty versatile term (like most slang words), so you're likely to hear it being used in different ways. The most common is using “rizz” to describe the quality or skill someone has at impressing and chatting up romantic interests. If you can charm someone with words until they’re digging you, your “rizz game” is strong. "I rizzed Jessica right up—I've got mad rizz, guys!" "Pete Davidson is a rizz god! How else would he get all those fine women?!" You might also hear the phrase "spitting game” which essentially means someone is oozing rizz.

"Women swoon when Erik walks by—he's got that unspoken rizz." Unspoken rizz is more of a vibe and innate skill that someone embodies without really trying. Someone with unspoken rizz doesn’t need to talk or directly interact with anyone. All they have to do is glance in someone’s direction or use a simple hand gesture and people start crushing on them left and right. "Derrick didn’t even talk to her! He just stood there with his unspoken rizz and she sauntered right up to ask for his number."

How to Cultivate Unspoken Rizz

Be confident in yourself. Exuding confidence is all about body language and the way you carry yourself, so remember to stand up straight and make direct eye contact with others. When someone is speaking to you, give them your full attention so they feel special. You can also try mirroring some of their movements (as long as you're subtle about it).

Put effort into your appearance. You don't have to look like a model or anything, but being well-groomed and dressing neatly can go a long way toward cultivating unspoken rizz. It's also important to appear authentic, so work on polishing and enhancing your personal style (rather than doing a total style overhaul).

Develop your active listening skills. To have unspoken rizz, it's important to make people feel special when you're interacting with them, and that means truly listening to them when they speak to you. Put your phone down, smile and nod, lean a little closer, and ask them follow-up questions so they feel heard.

Be slightly mysterious. Cultivating a little mystery makes you seem alluring and interesting, so try to hold back a bit when interacting with others. Don't divulge a lot of personal information and keep things vague on social media, too. Avoid showing a lot of emotion—mysterious people are calm, cool, and collected. Embrace your uniqueness with confidence and don't be afraid of standing out.

Unspoken Rizz vs. Sexual Harassment Memes

Memes about unspoken rizz being “sexual harassment” are popular. These memes started circulating in 2022 through customizable meme templates and generators. Essentially, the meme shows images of two characters side by side, and they’re being compared based on their vibe and attractiveness. The character labeled “Unspoken Rizz” is usually hot and suave looking, and the character labeled “Sexual Harassment” is typically nerdy or awkward looking. The punchline of the meme is that sensual eye contact or hand gestures—unspoken rizz behavior—are enticing from an attractive person, but unwanted from anyone less good looking. Unspoken Rizz vs. Sexual Harassment memes are actually a riff on an earlier meme, Flirting Vs. Sexual Harassment, which is used in the exact same way.