General
chelou
What does chelou mean?
From the standard French 'louche' (shady, shifty). Verlan inverts lou-che to che-lou. It means suspicious, sketchy, or dodgy.
"Ce plan est chelou. = This plan is sketchy."
Origin
Banlieue verlan from 'louche', common in everyday French since the 1990s. It pairs naturally with English 'sketchy' / 'dodgy' and is a staple of youth speech.
Frequently asked questions
What does chelou mean?
It's verlan for 'louche' (shady) and means sketchy, dodgy, or suspicious.
Is chelou about people or things?
Both — a person, a plan, a message, or a general vibe can all be 'chelou'.
Where did chelou come from?
From verlan, the back-slang of the French banlieues, mainstream since the 1990s.
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