What Does "TIHI" Mean, and How Do You Use It?
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Have you ever seen something so uncomfortable, you didn't have the words to describe it? "Thanks, I Hate It" might be the exact phrase you're looking for. Here's what it means.
"Thanks, I Hate It"
TIHI stands for "Thanks, I Hate It." It's an acronym of a popular slang phrase on the internet, particularly on Reddit and other internet message boards. It's used to respond to a photo, post, or story that makes the viewer uncomfortable because of its unnatural or unattractive nature. Often, TIHI images are heavily photoshopped to have strange, unpleasant details that will trigger a response. They can also be tweets or comments posted online.
TIHI can be used in both the titles of posts and in the comments under them. When used as a post title, it's also used as a disclaimer warning that the photo may make you feel uncomfortable. In specific uses, TIHI is synonymous with another internet slang term, "cursed," which refers to images or pieces of text that you may prefer not to have seen at all.
The Origins of TIHI
Compared to other internet acronyms we've covered, TIHI and its phrase are relatively new. But rather than having been created in internet chatrooms like other slang terms, it originated from the growing meme culture of the last few years.
While there is no confirmed source that can pinpoint exactly where "Thanks, I Hate It" came from, it has been used sporadically on the internet for the last decade to denote that something makes you uncomfortable. It became a more popular term around 2017 and 2018 when it entered the internet slang repository Urban Dictionary.
It was shortened when the Reddit community r/TIHI was founded in late 2018. The following year, the Urban Dictionary entry for the acronym version popped up online, stating that it's the website's "7th most cursed subreddit." This is similar to other acronyms that have risen to prominence because of their respective subreddits, such as ELI5 and TIL.
Since then, it's become quite common in places outside of the subreddit. TIHI is a frequently used acronym on social media sites like Twitter and TikTok, and is often used in personal conversations.
TIHI on Reddit
As previously mentioned, the main place to find content related to TIHI is on the subreddit, which has over a million followers. It has since become the single biggest community for posting TIHI-related images, with some of the most popular posts on the forum gaining tens of thousands of upvotes and comments.
All the posts on the subreddit follow a particular format. Titles must start with "Thanks, I Hate," followed by the thing depicted in the photo or story below. For example, if the image shows a cheeseburger, the title should be "Thanks, I Hate Cheeseburgers."
Most of the posts on the subreddit are a mix of funny and strangely uncomfortable content. For example, one of the top posts in the community, with over 63 thousand upvotes and more than 500 comments, is this legendary image of a "Smooth Yoda" posted by user u/AnUdderDay.
Even if you're not familiar with the concept of TIHI, the image above immediately looks strange and unnatural. That kind of feeling is what all TIHI posts try to evoke.
Sarcastic Meaning
One important thing to note is that the phrase "Thanks, I Hate It" is meant to be sarcastic. While one might be saying "Thanks," they're also stating that they don't like what they just saw or heard. This is especially obvious when the phrase is typed out or spoken aloud.
There are certain circumstances in which TIHI is used outside of the context of "cursed" images or posts. In personal conversations, the phrase can be used as a witty retort to something you're unhappy about. For example, if someone tells you that your destination has no cell phone coverage, you might say "Thanks, I hate it" in response.
How to Use TIHI and "Thanks, I Hate It"
While TIHI is used to denote an uncomfortable image, it can also be used when talking to friends or family members. Here are a few examples of both the phrase and the acronym in action:
- On Reddit: "Thanks, I Hate Wicker Baskets."
- As a Comment: "That new horror movie? TIHI."
- Spoken Aloud: "Another snowstorm. Thanks, I hate it."
- As a Message: "I did not want to see that picture. TIHI."
If you want to learn more internet acronyms, check out our pieces on NVM, ICYDK, and JK.
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