C9

What does C9 stand for?

Parent in room

C9 is a term that’s most commonly used in online chats and text messaging. It’s a way to say “Code 9”, which is a signal that parents are nearby and might be looking at the computer screen. It’s a quick and easy way to let others know that a conversation might need to be paused or changed because of parental presence.

This code is similar to the acronym CD9, which carries the same meaning. It’s another way to say, “Watch out, my parents are in the room!”. So, if you see someone typing C9 or CD9 during an online chat or in a text message, you know they’re not alone and you should be careful with what you say.

However, where this code came from is a bit of a mystery. No one is quite sure who first started using C9 or why they chose this particular code. But regardless of its origins, it’s a useful term to know if you spend a lot of time chatting online or sending text messages.

Example for using ‘C9’ in a conversation

Hey, are you free to chat?

Yeah, I’m here. What’s up?

Not much, just wanted to tell you about something funny that happened today. But C9, so gotta be careful.

Got it! Parents around, huh?