831

What Does 831 Mean?

In text chat, 831 usually means "I Love You." In Malaysia, 831 is also widely used to refer to the date August 31 (Independence Day).

Here is more information about each of these definitions of 831, with examples of use.

I Love You

The number 831 is a cyber term used to mean "I Love You." Each individual number in 831 has a specific definition:
  • 8 = The total number of letters in the phrase "I Love You."
  • 3 = The total number of words in the phrase "I Love You."
  • 1 = The one meaning of the cyber term 831.
Numbers such as these allow the sender to say "I Love You" without suffering the embarrassment felt by some when saying or typing those words. There are many other cyber terms with the same or similar meanings, including: For added emphasis, 831 and other such numbers are often paired with other cyber terms, such as 224 (Today, Tomorrow, Forever). A typical response simply involves adding the number two to the end of the abbreviation to represent the word "too." For example:
  • Harry: 831 babe.
  • Sally: What?
  • Harry: Ermm, I love you. 831 means I love you.
  • Sally: Oh! Thanks babe. 8312.
Beware! Repeating the phrase and adding the number two may be interpreted as insincere!

August 31

In Malaysia, 831 (or 8/31) can mean August 31. (In the same way that 9/11 means September 11 in the US.)

August 31 is a national holiday in Malaysia, marking Malaya's 1957 independence from Britain.

Video Summarizing 831

Here is a short video summarizing how the numeronym 831 works:

Image for 831

When I write 831, I mean this: meaning of 831 831 also means August 31, and is a national holiday in Malaysia.

Summary of Key Points

First Definition of 831

"I Love You" (8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning) is the most common definition for 831 on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
831
Definition:I Love You (8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning)
Type:Cyber Term
Guessability:
3: Guessable
Typical Users:
Adults and Teenagers

Second Definition of 831

In Malaysia, 831 usually means "August 31."
831
Definition:August 31
Type:Abbreviation
Guessability:
3: Guessable
Typical Users:
Adults and Teenagers

More...

An Academic Look at 831

When used with the meaning "I Love You," 831 is classified as a cyber term (as opposed to an initialism abbreviation or an acronym). Initially, cyber term terms were introduced for brevity. However, particularly with the advent of predictive texting and on-screen keyboards, they are now mostly employed for fun.

Cyber terms differ from icons because they are not pictorial representations.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we would have just said "I Love You" instead of using 831.

Using Numbers in Texts

This video shows the different ways that numbers are used in "text speak":

Example of 831 Used in a Text

831

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