Hand Signals Teens Make & What They Mean

Jeanne Sager If you are the proud parent of a teen or a tween, you already know that they practically have their own language — and of course, as adults, we're totally not privy to it.

Some things really never change, do they? The same peace sign the hippies used at Woodstock is popular with kids today, and yep, it still means "peace" — and it's still a frequent fixture of teen selfies. PEACE SIGN Jeanne Sager

It looks like a peace sign, but notice you see the back of the fingers, not the front? TWO-FINGER SALUTE Jeanne Sager

Here's where things start to get a little dicey, because even though this gesture looks like a peace sign, it couldn't be farther from it. If you hadn't already guessed, this one is suggestive of oral sex. V SIGN Jeanne Sager

HEART Jeanne Sager Looks like a heart, doesn't it? This generally means "I love you," and it was popularized even further by celebrities like Taylor Swift.

Jeanne Sager HOLE This is a silly game teenagers play (though not all of them will necessarily be in on it).

Jeanne Sager Don't worry — even though this hand signal has the word "horns" in it, the gesture is not meant to be demonic. HOOK 'EM HORNS

Jeanne Sager MIDDLE FINGER Yes, the middle finger turned sideways means the same exact thing as the traditional finger in the air, just as it has for decades before we were raising our teens today. Sometimes teens do this because it's less obtrusive — essentially they're hoping not to get caught flipping someone the bird.

Jeanne Sager LOSER You probably know this one already, But just in case you don't, the "L" is for loser! This is a sign that has somehow managed to survive through multiple generations of teens — including us when we were our kids' age.

YOU ATE IT Jeanne Sager This is a creative one — and definitely not something that existed when we were in middle and high school! It's a game, sort of — when some burps or farts, some teens put their hand to their forehead like this.

Similar in meaning to the heart, this sign is pretty self explanatory, especially since it's taken directly from American Sign Language. I LOVE YOU Jeanne Sager

Jeanne Sager PEACE … SIDEWAYS This sign doesn't mean anything scandalous — it's just a peace sign on its side.

THIS Jeanne Sager The sign itself is pretty meaningless, and kids just call it "this." Yes, it's as silly as it sounds — as if teenagers need to have a reason to make fun of someone (and as their parents, we're usually their target).

Here's another classic hand gesture that hasn't changed meanings through the generations! Teens and tweens still fist bump each other, and yes, it's still used as a greeting between friends (and sometimes, even with us, if we're lucky). iStock FIST BUMP

iStock CHEF'S KISS Here's another hand gesture that's been around forever that is also having a resurgence with today's teens and tweens.