7 Canadian Slang Words That Even People Born In Canada Might Not Understand

Ginch

Ever heard this before? If so, you might be from or have previously visited western Canada.

A "ginch" or "gotch" is a slang term for underwear, and sometimes more specifically refers to white briefs — more commonly known as tighty whities.

Example sentence: Oh man, it's so hot out, it makes me want to walk around in just my ginch!"

B'y

This slang term is used most notably in Newfoundland & Labrador and you could probably guess its meaning.

It's a shortened form of "boy" pronounced "by" and is a term of endearment and a way to address your buddies and friends. Think of it like "dude" or "man" but a bit different.

Example sentence: Hey, how's it goin' b'y?

Bunny hug

If you're feeling a bit cold in Saskatchewan, you might be in need of a "bunny hug."

What is it? Well, it's what people in parts of Saskatchewan call a hoodie or hooded sweatshirt. And frankly, it sounds incredibly cozy.

Who wouldn't want to hug a bunny?

Example sentence: It's so cold out I feel like I need to wear a bunny-hug on top of my other bunny-hug.

Cabin

While some think of a cabin as a setting for a horror movie, many in B.C. and other western Canadian provinces think of it as a place for some summer fun.

A cabin is essentially any house that someone might have out on a lake or in the wilderness to get away from it all. Essentially it's the western Canadian word for "cottage!"

No horror movies here!

Example sentence: My friends and I are going up to the cabin this weekend to party it up!

Lick-bo

While this might sound a bit obscene, it actually isn't. However, it is a bit more on the adult side of things.

"Lick-bo" has nothing to do with your tongue at all, and is actually connected to buying alcohol.

In Ontario, one of the few places you can buy alcohol is the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). But, if said like a word rather than an acronym, it sounds like "lick-bo."

Strange people Ontarians are.

Example sentence: I need to head down to the lick-bo to get ingredients for my cocktail.

Mans

If you've been to Toronto, you've probably heard the word "mans" at some point.

But what exactly does it mean? Well, it comes from the heavy Caribbean-Canadian influence on the city and basically means "man" or "dude" but it also can mean "I" or "you."

You can use the term in a variety of ways as a singular or plural pronoun.

Example sentence: As Simu Liu once said: "So whatever your background or gender, even if it's Toronto Mans, everyone is fam,"

Dep

This list wouldn't be complete without some Francophone slang from Quebec.

If you're heading to the "dep," it basically means you're going to the convenience store.

The word comes from a shortened version of "dépanneur" — French for "convenience store."

Example sentence: Do you need anything other than chips and pop from the dep?