Most Common IM Chat Acronyms and Emoticons

Looking for common chat acronyms, smileys and emoticons? Micro-blogging and text messaging are the hottest trends nowadays with the upcoming of websites like Twitter, Facebook, etc., which allows you to post short messages limited in number of characters. To make the most of the available characters, using short forms of words, acronyms and emoticons is a brilliant idea and most of the people use these short forms in chatting and IM’s.

While you are chatting online using an instant messenger or via SMS you need to work out your fingers really fast on the keyboard to keep up with the chat. By using short forms and symbols this task is really easy but most of the users do not know the meaning or which short forms to use. Online gamers also use these short forms to stay in contact with their friends.

im networks icons

SMS & Chat: Acronyms, Smileys, Emoticons

Herein are the most used short forms and symbols in chatting.

Starting with the numbers:

121– One-to-one
143– I love you
2G2BT– Too good to be true
2MI– Too much information
2NTE– Tonight
4– for
9– Parent is watching

Special characters

?– I have a question/ I don’t understand what you mean
?4U– I have a question for you
;S– Gentle warning, like “Hmm? what did you say?”
^^– Meaning read line or message above
^5– high five
<3– Meaning sideways heart (love, friendship)
<33– Meaning heart or love (more 3s is a bigger heart)
<s>– smile
<w>– wink
*g*– giggles
@-/-– a rose
:-) – smile
<:-|– curious
:~)– cute
:-}– embarrassed
:,-( or ;’-(– to cry
>:-(– angry
:-O– shouting, or shocked
;-P– sticking tongue out
:-(– sad

Short Forms / Acronyms

A3– Anytime, anywhere, anyplace
AA– As above
AAP– Always a pleasure
ACK– Acknowledge
ACPT– Accept
AND– any day now
AFK– Away from keyboard
AH– At home
ASAP– As Soon As Possible
ASL– Age/Sex/Location
AT– At your terminal
B– Back
B2W– Back to work
B4– before
BBL– be back later
BF– boyfriend or best friend
BFN– bye for now
BTW– by the way
BDAY– Birthday
BOL– Best of luck
BRB– Be right back
CAM– Camera
CM– Call me
CSL– Can’t stop laughing
CU– See you
DH– Dear
D/L– Download
DM– Direct message
DUR– Do you remember?
E1– Everyone
EMA– E-mail address
EZ– Easy
F2F– Face to face
FW– Forward
G– Grin, Giggle
GN– Good night
HF– Have fun
HRU– How are you?
I2– I too (me too)
IB– I’m back
IC– I see
IK – I know
ILY– I love you
IM– Instant message
IMS– I am sorry
JW– Just wondering
JK– Just Kidding
KB– Keyboard
L2G– Like to go?
LOL– Laughing out loud
LOTI– Laughing on the inside
LVM– Left voice mail
N1– Nice one
NE1– Anyone
NT– Nice try
NVM– Never mind
NVR– Never
OOH– Out of here
PCM– Please call me
PIC– Picture
PLS or PLZ– Please
PM– Private Message
POS– Parent over shoulder
PZA– Pizza
RU– Are you?
RX– Regards
S2S– Sorry to say
SC– Stay cool
SH^– Shut up
SIT– Stay in touch
SOS– Meaning help
SS– So sorry
STW– Search the Web
SUP– What’s up?
SYS– See you soon
THX– Thanks
TY– Thank you
U– You
UL– Upload
UNA– Use no acronyms
UR– Your / you’re
VIP– Very important person
VRY– Very
W@– What?
W3– WWW
WAS– Wait a second
W/B– Write back
WB– Welcome back
WC– Welcome, Who cares
WKD– Weekend
WU– What’s up?
WUF– Where are you from?
XD– really hard laugh
XLNT– Excellent
Y?– Why?
YR– Yeah right
YW– You’re welcome
Z– Zero
ZUP– What’s up?

Guest blogger Srikanth writes on Tech Inspiration blog at ekoob.com about tips, gadgets, and technology. You can also write a guest article and share your favorite tips.

Share with friends

About the Author: P Chandra is editor of QOT, one of India's earliest tech bloggers since 2004. A tech enthusiast with expertise in coding, WordPress, web tools, SEO and DIY hacks.