What Are "Red Thoughts" on TikTok? Definition, Examples, & How to Respond

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Learn what these juicy messages mean, according to GenZ

Co-authored by Eddy Baller and Bailey Cho

Last Updated: January 31, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Definition
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• Popular Red Thoughts
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• Sending a Red Thoughts Video
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• Responding to a Video
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• Video

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“Red thoughts” are a TikTok video trend that people use to describe a romantic or sexual scenario they want to experience with someone else. It’s the latest way of sending a dirty text, whether you’re flirting with your crush or partner. In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about “red thoughts,” including tips on how to send and reply to these spicy messages.

Things You Should Know

• “Red thoughts” refer to your romantic desires or sexual fantasies. They describe any experience you want to share with someone, whether it’s kissing, cuddling, or hooking up.
• On TikTok, users post their “red thoughts” in a video, and then send the video to their crush, FWB, or partner to express interest. The message is usually a block of text on a solid red background.
• If your crush sends you a “red thoughts” video, ask them for more details. You might say, “Do you think about me often?” or “What else do you want to do with me?”

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

What are “red thoughts” on TikTok?

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1. “Red thoughts” refer to your romantic desires or sexual fantasies. On TikTok, red thought videos describe a romantic or sexual experience you want to share with someone. They usually look like a block of text on a solid red background, and many users forward these videos to their crush or partner to express interest. Red thoughts can include spooning or holding hands with someone you like, but most TikTok videos feature more explicit ideas.

   • Some red thoughts videos convey secret messages via abbreviation. For example, the text “I.J.W.Y.T.M.O.W.M.U.I.L.M.B.” is another way of saying “I just want you to make out with me until I lose my breath.”
   • Red thought videos can also include photos of couples in different positions, followed by a photo of how you want to recreate the image. For instance, there could be a collage of couples holding hands, followed by a photo of two people in bed.
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Section 2 of 4:

Popular “Red Thoughts”

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1. 1
   Kissing, cuddling, or hugging your crush Red thoughts can be cute, romantic, or spicy, but all of them involve some degree of physical touch. From making out to holding someone in their sleep, think about certain moments from your favorite romantic books, movies, or TV shows that make you feel all tingly inside. Then, use them as inspiration to come up with your own red thoughts (or create your own red thoughts video).

   • “I want to give you hickeys.”
   • “I want to put my hand on your thigh.”
   • “I want to sleep in the same bed as you.”
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   Being dominated in the bedroom One of the most common fantasies for both men and women is having passionate, aggressive sex. Whether it’s having someone pin you to the wall or tie you up, feel free to be creative and get comfortable fantasizing. If you need help coming up with a red thought, reflect on your past experiences and expand on them, or think about something that gets you hot and bothered.

   • “I want you to tie me to the bed.”
   • “I want your hands on my body.”
   • “I want you to pin me down and take what you want.”
3. 3
   Adding more adventure to your sex life Lots of people are interested in shaking up their sex lives, whether it’s role-playing, inviting another person in the bedroom, or doing it in the wild. If you’re in a relationship, send your partner a red thoughts video to keep things fresh and exciting.

   • “Be my professor, and I’ll be your student.”
   • “I want to do it on top of the Ferris wheel.”
   • “Let’s have a threesome with your best friend.”
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Send a “Red Thoughts” Video

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1. 1
   Test the waters before you send something super explicit. Before you DM a spicy red thoughts video, make sure the other person is comfortable with it. Start by sending them a few cute or romantic red thoughts, then see how they respond to your messages. If they reply in a flirty way or send you a different red thoughts video, you can up the ante and share your freakier fantasies and desires.

   • If the other person doesn’t respond or tells you they’re not interested, apologize and stop sending them these kinds of videos. Respect their boundaries to remain on good terms.
   • To create a red thoughts video, tap the (+) icon at the bottom-center screen, and upload a photo of a red background. Click the “Text” button in the upper right corner, then type in your red thought. Select the “Add sound” button at the top of the screen, and add a song to turn your TikTok into a video. Then, hit the next button and click “Post” to upload your TikTok.
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   Be bold and tag their username underneath a red thoughts video. Once you get confirmation that the other person is into you, try tagging them under a red thoughts video to turn up the heat. Publicly declaring affection on social media is a huge turn-on for some people, making it the perfect venue to flirt and create sexual tension. Again, start by tagging them in a tamer red thoughts video before moving onto more explicit ones.

   • If the other person doesn’t respond or like your tagged message, interpret it as a sign that they’re not into this display of affection. You might want to express your feelings privately via direct message until they tag you in something too.
3. 3
   Send the video with some flirty emojis to add extra personality. Let the other person know how much you want them by throwing in some emojis that match the vibe of your specific video. Adding a few emojis is a great way to convey desire, while maintaining a fun and lighthearted tone.

   • Flirty and naughty emojis: 😈😉😏🥵💦🔥👄👀
   • Cute and romantic emojis: 🥺😇😋😊🥰🙏🤞💓
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Section 4 of 4:

How to Respond to a “Red Thoughts” Video

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1. 1
   Crank up the heat by inviting them over. If you're interested in hooking up, tell the other person you’re down to recreate their red thoughts in real life. It’s the perfect way to express mutual attraction, whether it’s romantic or sexual, and potentially land a date in the process!

   • “Let’s make that a reality.”
   • “Come over, and we can recreate all those fantasies together.”
   • “Are you free tonight? I want to show you a new position you can add to that list.”
2. 2
   Send your own red thoughts to spice up the conversation. Ready to take your relationship to the next level? If your crush sends you a red thoughts video, respond with your own fantasies to get them hot and bothered. This is one of the best ways to let someone know you like them because it doesn’t leave much room for interpretation. Feel free to come up with a red thought that’s even dirtier than the one they originally sent, or keep it clean if you want to take things slow.

   • “How about we make out instead?”
   • “What if we kissed underneath the bleachers?”
   • “Holding hands is cute, but I was hoping you would hold my waist.”
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   Ask them to give you more details to keep the conversation going. If you’re not sure what to say or you want to keep your feelings close to your chest, tell the other person to elaborate on their red thoughts. This puts the ball back in their court, while still showing that you’re interested in them.

   • “Do you think about me often?”
   • “What else do you want to do with me?”
   • “Oh really? Tell me more about your fantasies.”
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