BAU

What Does BAU Mean in a Text?

BAU usually means "Business As Usual" or "Back At You." It is also the name of a University of Design in Barcelona, Spain. Here's a little more information about each definition of BAU. (See below for examples of use.)

Business As Usual

The abbreviation BAU is typically used in text-based messaging with the meaning "Business As Usual." It means that, despite what may be expected, the normal daily routine is continuing. The "Business" in BAU could be official business, but in text messaging, it is more likely to refer to the normal routine of daily life.

The phase "Business As Usual" was popularized in a speech given by Winston Churchill in 1914. It subsequently became a slogan for the rest of World War I. 

Back At You

BAU is also sometimes used to mean "Back At You." In this context, BAU is used as a response to a comment, with the meaning "The same to you" or "Likewise." It is a further abbreviated version of RBAU ("Right Back At You").

University of Design, Barcelona

BAU is also the name of the University of Design in Barcelona, Spain. BAU is an affiliated center of the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia.

Image for BAU

When I write BAU, I mean this:

BAU also means "Back At You" and is the name of a University of Design in Barcelona.

Summary of Key Points

First Definition for BAU

"Business As Usual" is the most common definition for BAU on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

BAU
Definition:	Business As Usual
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Second Definition for BAU

"Back At You" is another definition for BAU.

BAU
Definition:	Back At You
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Third Definition for BAU

BAU also means "University of Design, Barcelona."

BAU
Definition:	University of Design, Barcelona
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	5: Extremely difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of BAU in Sentences

Here are examples of BAU being used in sentences, with the meaning "Business As Usual:"

• Sally: He is such shirker. He still hasn't done what I asked him to do!
• David: That's BAU for Tom. He is great at multitasking. He can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at once!

• Hank: I would give my dad what he really wants on Father's Day, but I can't afford to move out yet, so it's BAU.

• The people in the besieged city were dying of starvation. However, for the UN Security Council it was BAU.
(Here, BAU is being used in a negative sense and indicates frustration, cynicism or anger on the part of the speaker.)

Here are examples of BAU being used in sentences, with the meaning "Back At You:"

• Simon: Good morning! I hope you have a lovely day.
• Delia: Thanks. BAU!

• Harriet: You're a dweeb! I wish I had never met you.
• Harry: BAU!

An Academic Look at BAU

When used with the meanings "Business As Usual" and "Back At You," BAU is an initialism abbreviation. Technically, this means it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., Bee, Ay, Yoo), but it is not often spoken using its letters. The abbreviation BAU is actually used for efficiency in writing, rather than for efficiency in speech.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "Life goes on" or "Nothing has changed," instead of using the abbreviation BAU to mean "Business As Usual."

Example of BAU Used in a Text

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