Ting

Ting (noun / UK slang)

(Often heard as Peng ting)

Definition: Most commonly a good-looking girl or romantic interest, but it doubles up as an everyday stand-in for “thing”, a task, or a messy situation.

Pronunciation: /tɪŋ/ (rhymes with king)

Where It Comes From: It literally is just the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of “thing”. When Caribbean families settled across London, Birmingham, and Bristol from the late 40s onwards, the word worked its way into working-class neighbourhood banter. By the time pirate radio stations and early 2000s grime tracks started blowing up across the UK, MCs had locked “ting” into national slang—not just as an object, but specifically as a term for women.

How People Actually Use It: Depends totally on what you’re doing.

Nine times out of ten, you hear blokes down the pub or in group chats using it to talk about someone they’re seeing—“sorted out a new ting”, “who’s that ting over there?”. Chuck the word peng in front of it and you’re hyping up a girl’s looks.

That said, it still works as its literal definition. You’ll hear someone say they can’t make five-a-side football because they’ve got a “family ting” going on, or tell a mate to “pass that ting over” when they can’t remember the name of an object.

Examples in the Wild:

• “Saw you talking to that peng ting by the bar, did you get her number?”

  Translation: “I noticed you chatting up that attractive girl, did you get her details?”

• “Can’t go pub tonight lads, got a work ting to sort out early tomorrow.”

  Translation: “I can’t drink this evening because I have a work commitment in the morning.”

• “He won’t stop buzzing about some girl from Birmingham he’s been linking.”

  Translation: “He keeps talking non-stop about a girl he recently started seeing.”

Similar Slang: Fit girl, Bird, Link, Bit of gear, Situation, Setup