Did you're friend just crack a hilarious joke? After you finish laughing, you could tell him that it was "top kek."
This slang saying is only a decade old, but it's incredibly popular with the Millennial and Gen Z generations. You'll find plenty of people using it online in forums and chats.
This post unpacks everything you need to know about the origin, meaning, and use of this word in a conversation.
Top Kek Idiom Meaning
"Top Kek" is a reactionary phrase or meme that has a similar meaning to LOL. The original use of the phase was a keyboard error resulting in the use of kekekeke, instead of hahahaha. However, the meme went through several evolutions over the last decade or so.
The recent addition of "top" to "topkek" intensifies the use of "kek." As a result, top kek would refer to something very funny or a masterclass meme that's hilarious. Typically, you'll say top kek as a reply to someone telling you a funny joke.
The phrase has more uses online than offline. It's popular in forums like 4Chan and Reddit, and if you search these platforms, you'll likely find thousands of top kek memes. The phrase is also popular in the gaming community.
Top Kek Example Usage
https://www.teahub.io/viewwp/mmihxi_kek-pepe-the-frog-internet-meme-4chan-png/
https://memegenerator.net/instance/78068939/pepe-the-frog-top-kek
https://www.memesmonkey.com/topic/kek#&gid=1&pid=14
Top Kek Idiom Origin
The term "Top Kek" originates from the popular video game "Starcraft,” produced by Blizzard Studios. The game has a huge online following, but there was no support for languages other than English in the game's early stages.
The top kek meme rose to fame when a Korean player on the Starcraft platform wrote, "hahahaha." However, the lack of support for the Korean language meant the phrase displayed as "kekekeke" on screen. The joke kept doing the rounds in Starcraft and spread to other Blizzard titles like "World of Warcraft."
In WOW, players on the Horde team would write LOL, and the Alliance players would see it appear on their screens as KEK. Some ten years later, 4Chan users discovered the Turkish delicacy "Topkek." It almost immediately replaced other formats of the phrase and took off online.
However, things really went to the moon with the use of the phrase in 2016. 4Chan users discovered the ancient Egyptian deity, "Kek," who takes the form of a frog-headed human. Top kek is also in many memes featuring "Pepe the Frog." The top kek idiom spread around the internet at a rapid pace, particularly in the gaming community and on social media.
Some ten years after its inception, the use of the phrase is still strong. You'll find it in many memes and gaming and streaming communities. The phrase's association with the Pepe the Frog meme also inspired backlash on social media, where woke activists would call the meme racist.
Phrases Similar to Top Kek
- LOL
- ROFL
Phrases Opposite to Top Kek
- That's not funny.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Top Kek
- KekKek
Ways People May Say Top Kek Incorrectly
Some people may use the phrase incorrectly or in the wrong context. Top kek is a reactionary term used in place of the LOL meme. It doesn't refer to the quality of any product. It's a niche phrase, and using it outside of social media or the gaming sphere might have people wondering what you're talking about when you mention the term.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Top Kek
You can use the phrase "top kek," in a lighthearted conversation online or with friends. Most people who frequent forums like 4Chan and 8Kun will understand the meaning of your expression. The phrase suits carefree use, and it's very popular with the streaming and gaming community.