Anya Zhukova · October 16, 2020 · 6 min read HMU is another one of those acronyms that you’ve probably seen online and had to Google the meaning of. People use HMU and other popular internet abbreviations like NSFW or SMH to express something that’s beyond the scope of modern language. Using these acronyms is a great way to convey your emotions online quickly and effectively.
Still finding it all confusing? Learn what HMU means, where it first came from, and how to use this acronym correctly to avoid becoming a social media faux pas.
What Does HMU Mean?
HMU stands for hit me up and is used to invite a person to contact you later. HMU is synonymous with phrases like “contact me”, “message me”, “call me”, or some other version of “get in touch to follow up and discuss this further at a later time”.
HMU is an acronym that you can use to encourage another person to contact you but not right now. It works great when you want to leave a subtle reminder for the other person, or in case you don’t want to lose contact but don’t have time to discuss things right at this moment.
Unlike “text me” or “call me”, HMU is pretty universal and includes any means of contact available to the other person. When you use this acronym, you leave the choice of the type of followup communication up to them: whether they want to DM you on Instagram, or video call on WhatsApp.
Examples of Use
HMU is internet slang and therefore you’ll see it used in online chats, social networks, in texting, and in popular internet memes. One place you’re unlikely to see it is email, unless it’s a quick (and informal) message from someone relatively close to you.
While it’s common to use HMU to request the other person to contact you, there are other situations when people tend to use this abbreviation.
People often use HMU when flirting online. In dating apps like Tinder you can come across profile descriptions like “hmu if you like pina colada and getting caught in the rain”.
Another way to use HMU is to ask other people for ideas or suggestions. For example, if you’re looking for restaurant recommendations in a new city, you can post on social media “Where should I go for dinner in X city? Hmu with suggestions”.
The Origin of HMU
Some users connect the origin of Hit Me Up with pagers – communication devices that were popular in the 90s. Pagers couldn’t receive text messages, but instead they would beep and show the phone number of the person trying to contact you or “hit you up”.
The truth is, the real origin of the abbreviation is unknown. As with many other acronyms, one day HMU just appeared on Urban Dictionary. HMU then became a popular online trend, and quickly spread all over the internet.
Once HMU became an internet meme, users gave it a second meaning – hold my unicorn. Although it’s only ever used online as a joke or as a meme.
Since HMU is often used for flirting, the natural development of the acronym was becoming a part of the online dating scene. One of the first results Google will give you when you type HMU is a rather cringey dating site where they offer a number of reviews for other dating apps like Tinder or OkCupid, as well as a number of female-only profiles that don’t look anything like real people.
If you decide to use this or a similar site for online dating purposes, make sure to check out our guide on how to spot and avoid online dating scammers.
How to Use HMU
While you can say hit me up out loud without people giving you looks, the acronym HMU is reserved for online use only. There are different ways that you can use this abbreviation in your daily communication, depending on the situation and context.
Use HMU in Texting
The most common place where you’ll see other people using HMU and other similar acronyms is instant messaging apps. There aren’t any strict rules to the correct spelling of the acronym. Here are the variations that you’re most likely to see online:
- HMU. Used on its own and in all capital letters to indicate the urgency of a message or contact request.
- hmu. Use this version if you want to be a part of the growing trend of writing everything in lowercase letters to make it sound more casual or laid-back.
- HMU in the beginning or end of the message. Integrating the acronym into your message is probably the best way to use it if you don’t want to risk another person misunderstanding you.
Use HMU to Contact People Back
HMU isn’t always used in its original form. One variation of this acronym is HYU which stands for hit you up – the opposite meaning to HMU. You can use it in a text reply to someone if you want to be the person contacting them back.
Use HMU as a GIF or Meme
On social media, or when exchanging messages with friends, you can use GIFs or memes to convey the same meaning as HMU. Thanks to tools like GIPHY being integrated into most social media apps now, all you need to do is open the right conversation, find the option to send GIFs in the chat box and type HMU into the search bar.
If you want to add some humor to your conversation, you can search for HMU memes online and share them in a chat. Alternatively, you can create your own HMU memes using one of the special online tools.
Start Using Acronyms in Your Daily Communication
Talking to someone online is often a different experience to talking to someone in real life. So why not have fun with it and add a few interesting abbreviations, emojis, GIFs, and other means of conveying your message.
Have you come across the HMU acronym before? What other abbreviations do you use in your online communication? Share your experience with online slang in the comments below.
