HBY

What Does HBY Mean in a Text?

HBY means "How About You?"

The abbreviation HBY is typically used with the meaning "How About You?" as a response to a question. HBY is normally used to confirm the other person's plans or to assess their opinion. For example:
  • Person 1: Are you going to the match tonight?
  • Person 2: Definitely! HBY?
  • Person 1: Do you think the moon landings were faked?
  • Person 2: Of course not! HBY?
By using relaxed pronunciation, the word "about" becomes "'bout," which is closer to the way "How About You" is usually pronounced and why it is abbreviated as HBY, instead of HAY.

"How About You" is also abbreviated as HBU.

Image for HBY

When I write HBY, I mean this:

meaning of HBY

HBY is a response to a question.

Summary of Key Points

"How about You?" is the most common definition for HBY on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
HBY
Definition:How about You?
Type:Abbreviation
Guessability:guessability level 4
4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:typical user

Adults and Teenagers

Examples of HBY in Sentences

Here are examples of HBY being used in conversations:
  • Angus: I got straight A's in all my exams. HBY?
  • Cally: Yeah, something like that.
  • Trisha: Where are you going on holiday this year?
  • Toni: The Bahamas. HBY?
  • Trisha: Detroit.
  • Toni: Oh. Never mind.

An Academic Look at HBY

HBY plays the role of an interrogative sentence (i.e., a question), but it is commonly seen without a question mark. In other words, it can be written "HBY?" or "HBY".

As it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., "Aitch Bee Why"), HBY is classified as an initialism abbreviation. However, HBY is not often spoken using its letters. It is usually employed for efficiency in writing and not efficiency in speech.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we would have just said something like "How About You?" instead of using using HBY.

Example of HBY Used in a Text

HBY
author logo

This page is maintained by the Cyber Definitions Editorial Team.

Help Us Improve Cyber Definitions

  • Do you disagree with something on this page?
  • Did you spot a typo?
  • Do you know a slang term that we've missed?
Please tell us using this form.

See Also

HBN (How About Now?) HBT (How 'Bout That) HDTH (How Did That Happen?) HDYDT (How Did You Do That?) HGI (How Goes It?) HIG (How's It Going?) HYD (How You Doing?)

Quiz

Try our fun quiz to test your knowledge of slang and texting abbreviations.
gold cup
Gold

gold cup
Silver

gold cup
Bronze

0
  • This test has questions.
  • A correct answer is worth 5 points.
  • You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
  • Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
  • Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
  • 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System

Cyber Guru (+)
Cyber Hero (+)
Cyber Captain (+)
Cyber Sergeant (+)
Cyber Recruit (+)