Warning: You are about to enter the world of brain rot
If you’ve been around a middle-schooler recently and made the grave mistake of uttering the seemingly innocuous numbers 6 and 7, you were likely met with giggles, a distinctive hand gesture and—most importantly—a drawn-out “six seeeeeeeven” with the weirdest inflection. Sometimes the “6-7” comes out of the blue in response to something else you’ve said that has absolutely nothing to do with numbers or anything that numbers would be remotely related to. Seriously, what?
Of course, every generation has its own slang, but this Gen Alpha and young Gen Z phenomenon is truly head-scratching—and incredibly popular. In fact, Dictionary.com just named it as its 2025 Word of the Year. But it’s got some competition hot on its heels. Now there’s an even newer “brain rot” number moving out of social media into the blinding glare of everyday life.
Read on to find out what this mystery number is, what it means and why kids are obsessed with it. And hey, maybe you can make a middle-schooler’s brain explode by using it yourself!
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What is the new number combo that tweens and teens are using?
The new number sliding into kid slang is 41. Yes, the number that comes after 40. Like 6-7, it is drawn out and said in a slightly descending tone (think vocal fry with less fry), but it is pronounced as “forty-one” (well, actually, “forty-ooooone,” as you’ll see in this TikTok clip from a teacher and self-described “student translator”)—in stark contrast to “six-seven,” which must NEVER be said as “sixty-seven.”
Another difference between 41 and 6-7 is the hand gesture. With 6-7, you move your hands up and down, palms up, alternating them kind of like you’re weighing something. (Your parents’ sanity, maybe?) However, with 41, you move your hands sideways in opposite directions, like a DJ playing hard. Visualizing it? Good. Now for what it all means.
What does “41” mean?
@mr_lindsay_sped If you’re kids aren’t saying #41 yet, they will be soon! Is it the new #67 ? #41meme #41 #genalpha #genalphaslang #teachersoftiktok ♬ original sound – Mr. Lindsay
Like 6-7, the number 41 means basically nothing at all—and that’s the point. These viral expressions, which started as memes, are less about meaning and more about membership: You know them or you don’t. You are part of the crowd or you’re not.
Think about the recent Louvre heist. Do people believe stealing is a good thing? Not really. But did hordes of people jump on the internet bandwagon with their own joyous Louvre-heist commentary, jokes and faux confessions? Absolutely. A lot can be said for the endorphin rush of sharing a completely random and absolutely absurd moment with strangers across the world: It is a bonding experience. That’s the case for both 41 and 6-7.
How would you use 41 in a sentence?
Because it’s an absurdity, it can be used absurdly. You can use 41 as an answer to just about anything, from how much you want of something to how long something will take to how old you are (especially if you are not, in fact, 41), and so on. You can also just scream it out randomly, on its own.
Expect to hear lots of laughs anytime 41 comes up as a natural answer because now it is a number that’s grown beyond itself. And before you scoff at this whole insanely nonsensical wordplay, think about this: The way tweens and teens create and popularize words these days is fascinatingly similar to all the words Shakespeare invented back in the day. Really!
Where did it come from?
It originated in a song by Blizzi Boi that’s called—you guessed it—the “41 Song.” Blizzi raps about how he is 41 and has 41 of everything—goons, stones, bags and a whole bunch of other things. Did he expect to have 41 bajillion people picking his numeric choice as the new viral spiral? Probably not, but here we are! The song went viral on Instagram first, then made its way over to TikTok, where it got a whole new life.
We should also mention that there is a clean version of this song and a very, um, not clean version. Just a warning in case you get curious and want to look up the actual lyrics!
How is 41 different from 6-7?
Aside from the minor differences noted above with the hand gestures and pronunciation, 41 and 6-7 are not very different at all. That’s because neither slang term holds any real meaning, and both can be used in the same way.
And they’re both “brain rot.” What is that, exactly? If you ask a parent, it’s literally that—something that’s rotting their kids’ brains. But kids use it to describe meme culture that centers around “chaotic visuals, illogical humor and dreamlike randomness.” It frequently uses popular creator tools like CapCut and the latest trending AI platforms to make up audio-visual distortions that are giving a bit of modern-day Salvador Dalí.
So wait—are 41 and 6-7 actually the same thing?
No, 6-7 is basically the OG of this nonsensical number slang, while 41 is its (even more) annoying kid brother. But the whole point of these meaningless expressions is that each one is a unique creation. Each is its own signifier of belonging, its own chaotic secret agent.
Do they hold a similar role in pop culture, though? Yes, but only time will tell whether they start to be used ironically or, eventually, take on a whole new, flipped meaning.
Are you supposed to respond to 41 or 6-7?
Well, look at it this way: Everyone is going to respond in some way to 41 or 6-7. The real question is, will your response put you in the cool club or not? If you respond with confusion and befuddlement, you’re definitely not in the crowd. If you know what it is, though, you get to join in the fun—whatever that means in the moment, whether it’s laughing or saying it too.
Though be warned: If you’re a parent or teacher and try this, you will probably get laughed at instead of laughed with. It’s a fine line, but hey, at least they’re laughing!
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Sources:
- Capcut: “Brainrot Memes: The Art of Chaotic Comedy & Digital Nihilism”
- The Washington Post: “Why kids keep saying ‘6-7’: ‘It’s really beautiful because it’s dumb’”
- Dictionary.com: “Dictionary.com’s 2025 Word of the Year Is…”
- TikTok on 41: @mr_lindsay_sped
- Tiktok on 6-7: @mr_lindsay_sped
