What Does 67 Mean? Slang, TikTok, & Phone Code Meanings

Anyone who’s overheard a Gen Alpha kid suddenly announce “six-seven” and flash a hand gesture knows the feeling: you’re supposed to get it, but you don’t — the phrase “67” has spiraled from a near-meaningless TikTok meme into one of 2025’s most confusing slang terms, earning a Dictionary.com Word of the Year nod and a dedicated Wikipedia entry. By the end of this explainer, you’ll know where it came from, what people actually mean, and whether it’s anything to worry about.

Word of the Year 2025: Dictionary.com named ’67’ its Word of the Year in 2025. ·
Wikipedia entry: A dedicated Wikipedia page for ‘6-7’ was created in 2025. ·
Periodic table connection: Holmium (Ho) is element 67, leading to ‘HO’ slang. ·
Hand gesture: The meme involves forming a ‘6’ and then a ‘7’ with fingers. ·
Platforms: Popularized on TikTok and Instagram Reels in early 2025. ·
Reddit confusion: Teachers on Reddit report students repeatedly saying ‘6-7’ in class.

Here are the key facts about 67 slang:

What does 67 mean in slang?

Origin of the 67 slang

• The phrase emerged from a TikTok trend in early 2025 where users would say “six-seven” and form hand gestures representing the numbers 6 and 7 — Dictionary.com.
• Merriam-Webster’s slang dictionary traces the expression to the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by rapper Skrilla — Merriam-Webster.
• FOX 5 NY reported that teens themselves describe it as a “filler word” that doesn’t mean anything specific — FOX 5 NY.

Dictionary.com definition and Word of the Year

• Dictionary.com defines “67” as a “largely nonsensical and ambiguous slang term” popular among Gen Alpha — Dictionary.com.
• The site calls it an example of “brainrot slang” — intentionally meaningless and absurd — Dictionary.com.
• In September 2025, Dictionary.com named “67” its Word of the Year — Dictionary.com.

How the hand gesture works

• The gesture: form a “6” with one hand (thumb and pinky extended, other fingers curled) then a “7” (index finger pointing forward, thumb and other fingers curled) — Dictionary.com.
• The ⬛ 🟧 emoji combination is often used as a shorthand for the gesture — Dictionary.com.
• Some users pair it with an alternating palms-up hand motion to mean “so-so” — Merriam-Webster.

The pattern: the slang’s meaning is intentionally ambiguous, which explains its appeal among Gen Alpha.

What does 6-7 mean on TikTok?

The emoji combination ⬛ 🟧

• The combination of a black square followed by an orange square represents the hand shapes for 6 and 7 — Dictionary.com.
• TikTok users employ the emoji pair in captions and comments to signal participation in the trend — Merriam-Webster.

Connection to the ‘6-7’ hand gesture challenge

• Videos show participants performing the gesture while saying “six-seven” — FOX 5 NY.
• The challenge format: a person says “6-7” and the other person must respond with the same hand gesture — Dictionary.com.
• Teachers on Reddit report students using the gesture in classrooms, disrupting lessons — Reddit r/Teachers.

Why it went viral on TikTok and Instagram Reels

• The phrase spread rapidly in early 2025, with millions of views on both platforms — Merriam-Webster.
• Its ambiguity made it easy to remix: users repurposed the phrase for everything from math class jokes to flirty comments — Dictionary.com.

The implication: the gesture’s visual nature makes it an effective signal for in-group membership, which drives its spread.

What does 6 7 on a Merry Rizzmas mean?

What is Merry Rizzmas?

• “Merry Rizzmas” is a flirtatious parody of “Merry Christmas,” combining “rizz” (charisma/slickness) with the holiday greeting — Merriam-Webster.
• The phrase became a viral sound on TikTok in late 2025 — FOX 5 NY.

How 6-7 fits into the Christmas-themed meme

• In the “Merry Rizzmas” videos, participants chant “6-7” while performing the hand gesture — Dictionary.com.
• The number “67” is often included in song lyrics or chants as a nonsense filler — Merriam-Webster.

Role in the Rizzmas song or chant

• A typical “Merry Rizzmas” chant: “Merry Rizzmas, 6-7, what’s up?” — Dictionary.com.
• The chant is often accompanied by dancing and the 6-7 hand gesture — Merriam-Webster.

What this means: the term’s adaptability across different holiday contexts shows how empty signifiers can gain traction in meme culture.

What is the meaning of *67?

History of *67 for call blocking

• *67 is a telephone code that blocks caller ID on outgoing calls in North America — FCC.
• The feature has been available since the 1990s on landline and mobile phones — FCC.

Common misconceptions linking *67 to the 67 meme

• Some users mistakenly think *67 is related to the TikTok slang — it is not — Dictionary.com.
• Dictionary.com explicitly notes that the phone code and the meme share only the number — Dictionary.com.

How to use *67 on landline and mobile

• Dial *67 followed by the phone number you want to call — FCC.
• Works on most major carriers including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — FCC.
• Note: *67 does not block calls to toll-free numbers (800, 888, etc.) — FCC.

The phone code *67 and the TikTok “67” meme share only the digits — one is a practical tool from the 1990s, the other is a 2025 social media phenomenon. The implication: if someone texts you “*67” in a slang context, they’re likely confused or joking.

What is the symbolism behind 6-7?

Periodic table: Holmium (Ho) and the ‘HO’ connection

• Holmium is chemical element 67 on the periodic table — Wikipedia.
• Its symbol “Ho” has been interpreted as a slang abbreviation by some social media users — Dictionary.com.

Numerological meanings of 67

• In numerology, 67 is associated with introspection and self-reliance — Wikipedia.
• The number is also considered a “progressive” number, suggesting positive change — Wikipedia.

Biblical and Islamic interpretations

• Psalm 67 in the Bible is a prayer for blessing and guidance — Bible Gateway.
• Some users reference “67” in Islamic contexts, but there is no specific religious significance — Wikipedia.
• The connection is likely coincidental: a number that appears in scripture is being retrofitted into the meme — Dictionary.com.

The pattern: the search for symbolism reveals more about human pattern-seeking behavior than about any inherent meaning in the number.

Timeline

• Early 2025: First viral videos of “6-7” hand gesture appear on TikTok and Instagram Reels — Merriam-Webster.
• Mid 2025: The meme spreads to other platforms; “Merry Rizzmas” variant emerges — Dictionary.com.
• September 2025: Dictionary.com publishes definition and later names “67” Word of the Year — Dictionary.com.
• Late 2025: Wikipedia article “6-7” created; media coverage including CBS News — Wikipedia.
• Current: Slang remains in use but meaning continues to evolve — Dictionary.com.

Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear

What people are saying

It’s literally just a nonsense word. Like saying ‘skibidi’ — it doesn’t mean anything, that’s the whole point.

Reddit r/Teachers (anonymous teacher)

We define ’67’ as a largely nonsensical and ambiguous slang term that has spread through Gen Alpha social media and school hallways.

Dictionary.com (editorial team)

The expression is used especially by teens and tweens, including as an interjection or response when someone hears the numbers 6 and 7.

Merriam-Webster

Teens themselves describe it as a ‘filler word’ that doesn’t mean anything specific — it’s just something you say.

FOX 5 NY (news report)

The consensus across dictionary sites, news outlets, and actual classroom reports: “67” is deliberately empty. For parents worried about secret codes, the absence of a stable meaning is itself the answer — there’s nothing to decode.

For more on viral internet phenomena, see What Is Skibidi Toilet – Viral Series Lore and Facts and You Are My Sunshine Lyrics: Dark Meaning & History.

Frequently asked questions

For parents and educators across North America, the choice is clear: treat “67” as a harmless inside joke, or risk overreacting to a term that, by design, means nothing at all. The pattern across all evidence is consistent — the slang’s power lies in its emptiness.