360

What Does 360 Mean?

360 means "All Around," "Full Circle," "Miss You," and "Xbox 360." Some of these definitions are easier to guess than others. One of them is impossible to guess (unless you're Chinese)! Read on to find out more.

All Around / Full Circle

In a similar way, "360" can also refer to a change in perspective. It can be used to convey the idea of completeness, as in the phrase "coming full circle." For example, if someone says "She has come 360," they might mean that the person in question has returned to the same point or topic that was previously discussed. It can also be used to indicate a change in perspective or a full understanding of something has been acquired by looking at it from every possible angle. For example:

• Donald, we are going to carry out a 360 review of your appearance and skin-care routine, in order to establish exactly why you are so orange.
• I used to think that life was all about perception and perspective. Then I did a complete 360 and realized that it's really just the way you look at it.

Miss You

Check out our page on Chinese chat codes for more.

Xbox 360

Check out our complete glossary of gaming related terms.

Image for 360

When I write 360, I mean this:

Some of the definitions of 360 are easier to guess than others.

Summary of Key Points for the First Definition

"All around" or "full circle" is the most common definition for 360 on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

360
Definition:	All Around / Full Circle
Type:	Numeronym
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Summary of Key Points for the Second Definition

The phrase 想念你, which translates as "miss you" is the most popular definition for 360 in Chinese texting codes.

360
Definition:	Miss You
Type:	Numeronym (Chinese Text Code)
Guessability:	5: Extremely difficult to guess (Unless you are Chinese)
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Summary of Key Points for the Third Definition

"Xbox 360" is a common definition for 360 in gaming-related chat.

360
Definition:	Xbox 360
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Teenagers and Under 13s

An Academic Look at 360

360 is both a numeronym and a contraction.

Numeronym. When used with the meanings "All Around," "Full Circle," or "Miss You," 360 is a numeronym, which is an abbreviation made up of just numbers or of letters and numbers.

Numeronyms can be formed in various ways, such as:

• Shortening a word by replacing a sequence of letters with the count of those letters (e.g., i18n for "internationalization" and a11y for "accessibility").
• Combining letters and numbers (e.g, K9 for "canine" and W3 for "World Wide Web").
• Using numbers to represent letters or words (e.g., 143 for "I love you," 637 for "always and forever," and 5201314 for "I will love you for a lifetime").

Numeronyms were used long before the digital era. Many of the early ones were written on the envelopes of letters between lovers. They were often a coded message between the sender and the recipient, thought to allow secret expressions of love or passion.

Contraction. When used to refer to the gaming console, 360 can be considered a contraction of the name "Xbox 360." Contractions can be formed in a number of ways, including:

• Omitting letters from the word (e.g., pct (percent), obv (obviously)).
• Using letters from the start and end of the word (e.g., adds, Dr (Doctor)).
• Using an apostrophe to replace a letter or letters (e.g., don't (do not), can't (cannot)).

For reasons of brevity in text-based conversations, contractions are rarely followed by periods/full stops and apostrophes are routinely omitted.

Example of 360 Used in a Text

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