304 (Slang)

About

304 is an internet slang term meaning "hoe," as typing "304" into a calculator and turning it upside down appears to spell the word "hoe" (or "5304" into "hoes"). The term is often used to specifically reference prostitutes and sex workers. It was first defined by the Online Slang Dictionary in 2000 and spread over the following years, seeing a peak in use during the early 2020s in high-value man alpha male-related content as a form of algospeak.

Origin

The earliest known definition of 304 as "hoe" was added to the Online Slang Dictionary^[1] by Clarence M. on January 7th, 2000, writing:

A "hoe", i.e. a promiscuous female. "304" read upside-down looks like the letters "hoe". This is especially evident on the seven-segment LED displays on digital calculators and wristwatches.

The term was defined several times on Urban Dictionary^[2] throughout the 2000s and 2010s. An early example of a meme to use the phrase was posted by Instagram^[3] user 90shiphopjunkie on October 18th, 2018, showing a calculator with "304" entered into it, garnering over 2,700 likes in five years (shown below).

Spread

The term became increasingly used online throughout the early 2020s, particularly in 2023 with the rise of manosphere alpha male content creators like Andrew Tate and the Whatever Podcast as a more low-key way of calling women "hoes" and avoiding censorship on social media platforms. For example, on January 5th and February 11th, 2023, YouTubers^[4][5] MANO WORLD and Modern Life Dating posted videos titled "TATE SCHOOLING 304’S" and "304 Ridicules Herself," gaining over 519,000 views and 1.2 million views, respectively, by late March (shown below, left and right).

On February 25th, TikToker^[6] @letmeputyouon101 posted a video explaining what makes a 304, garnering over 368,000 views in a month. The term is often used to directly refer to prostitutes (examples shown below).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References