You Asked, We Cracked the Code: Here's What "/pos" Really Means on TikTok!
The meaning of "/pos" on TikTok is... interesting.

Published March 13 2025, 4:40 p.m. ET
Alright, let's try to keep up with the young folks here! So, as most people know, TikTok is the hot spot for all these... trends. New memes, challenges, and phrases pop up practically every second, and honestly, we're just trying to keep our heads above water!
Seriously, who can keep up with all the acronyms and quirky slang? We've got things like "fine shyt" and "LOML" (which we're guessing is something like "love of my life," though we could be wrong). But the one that's really got us confused lately is "/pos."
What in the world does that even mean?! Let's find out!
What does "/pos" mean on TikTok?
OK, so apparently, "/pos" is some sort of... tone indicator. We're pretty sure it means "positive" or is simply a positive connotation. It's something that TikTok users slap at the end of a post or comment to let others know they're not being sarcastic or throwing shade. It almost sounds like a little digital smiley face, but more subtle!
So, if you see something like "Your jump shot is amazing /pos," it means they're genuinely complimenting you — no trickery involved! Like, "Hey, I’m being nice here, promise!"
But apparently, "/pos" is just one of many of these bizarre tone-thingamajigs (yes, that's what we're officially calling them!) floating around online. There's a whole bunch of them, and honestly? We're still trying to figure out what all of them mean!
Here are a few of them:
- /g means genuine (so you're not fooling anyone, apparently).
- /j is for joke (because who knows if you're kidding anymore, right?!).
- /lh is lighthearted (which makes sense, we guess).
- /neg is for negative, like, when you're being a total Debbie Downer.
- /nm means "not mad" (because clearly, we need to make sure everyone knows we're NOT mad).
- /s means sarcasm (I think? Or maybe it's just... sarcastic?).
- /srs means serious (because we guess you need to clarify that too?).
It turns out "POS" has a few more meanings up its sleeve...
So, even though "positive" seems to be the go-to meaning for "/pos" on TikTok, this little acronym is a bit of a wild card with some other meanings.
For example, it could stand for Point of Sale — that's a classic retail term! That register you're standing at when you’re checking out at a store? Yep, the POS system. Not nearly as exciting as TikTok, but hey, it's useful!
Then there's the less-friendly one: Piece of S--t. Oof! This one's usually used when you're mad at something or someone, and it's definitely not the vibe you want to go for if you're trying to keep things positive. You've been warned!
And here's a fun one we found: Parents Over Shoulder. Never heard of it? You're not alone! But it's a pretty straightforward one — basically, it's a heads-up that your parent is standing behind you while you're texting, so maybe keep things PG!