Top 10 Phrases We TOTALLY Got from Friends

As fond as we are of Joey-isms like “Joey doesn’t share food,” or “going commando,” we went another direction for our opening entry. The phrase we’ll be discussing here happens after Joey claims to Monica that he can finish an entire Thanksgiving turkey by himself. He spends much of the episode tackling the bird, calling it “his Everest.” While he eventually manages to finish it, Joey laments the perspiration that follows his ordeal; calling them his “meat sweats,” a term that has since become popular to describe the sweating after consuming large quantities of meat.

As hilarious, clever, and sarcastic as he is, Chandler Bing isn’t exactly a model of cool. Nevertheless, fans still found plenty of reasons to imitate him. Our first Chandler phrase in this list was a response to Ross showing just how much he was under the thumb of his new fiancée, Emily. When trying to illustrate how whipped he thinks Ross is, Chandler attempts to make the “whip” sound effect, only the noise he makes ends up with barely any resemblance to the common onomatopoeia. As lame as it is, Chandler’s malapropism is still fun to say.

No, “Friends” didn’t invent the word lobster, but the show did come up with a new meaning for it. After going through a breakup with Rachel, Ross worries about whether he’ll ever manage to win her back. Phoebe tells him not to worry, claiming that she’s his lobster. She explains that lobsters mate for life and even hold claws together in tanks. When her prediction that they’ll reconcile proves true, she reaffirms her earlier statement. Fans have latched onto the expression as an offbeat synonym for one’s soulmate. Even if this isn’t actually true, it’s still pretty adorable.

Another word “Friends” gave new meaning to, unagi is actually the Japanese word meaning freshwater eel. However, according to Ross, unagi refers to a state of total awareness, which he picked up while studying karate. He attempts to teach the supposed concept to Rachel and Phoebe by scaring them repeatedly, a favor which they eventually return. He also accompanies the word with a distinct hand gesture. This has led “Friends” enthusiasts to repeat the gesture whenever they surprise any of their own buddies or pretty much any time they order sushi.

Helping anyone move furniture can be rough, but Ross Geller make it especially difficult on his friends. While trying to move a couch up a flight of stairs to his apartment, Ross repeatedly tells the others to “pivot” the couch, even when it’s impossible for them to do so; leading the characters to snap at him and the actors to struggle to hold in their laughter. The incessant suggestion is incredibly memorable and has proved a popular phrase to use among “Friends” fans; whether it’s a genuine instruction while moving something heavy or just some cheeky trolling.

Joey isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he does have a strange kind of wisdom sometimes. After finding out her assistant, whom she has a crush on, is now single, Rachel asks how long she should wait before she makes a move. Although Joey’s very short time period appeals to her, he amends his advice by stating that unless he likes her back, it’s a “moo point,” having apparently misheard the phrase “moot point.” He explains that it’s like “a cow’s opinion,” meaning that it doesn’t matter. And no Rachel, it isn’t just you – it makes sense to us either, which is part of why we enjoy saying it instead of the real phrase.

Chandler’s sarcastic, nervous demeanor is very distinctive, and part of that is his speech pattern, which sees him place unusual emphasis on certain words. One common tick is for him to ask if he or someone or something else could BE anymore something. His friends have latched onto this and often use the expression whenever they want to imitate or mock him. Fans have taken up the phrase too and it’s become a common way to express hyperbole about a subject’s attributes. For example, could “Friends” BE any more quotable?

During one of the periods when they’re dating, Ross and Rachel have a big blowup, which leads to Rachel suggesting they “go on a break.” Ross, taking this to mean they’re broken up, sleeps with another woman. Thereafter, whenever this fact is brought up or their break up is mentioned, Ross frequently defends himself by saying that they “were on a break.” Although this is one expression we hope to never need to use in real life, the concept of “being on a break” has definitely entered our cultural lexicon thanks to “Friends.”

Joey may be a dope, but he still manages to be a hit with the ladies, thanks to his natural charisma. While many guys favor a number of pick-up lines, Joey has a definitive go-to – “how YOU doin’?” The vaguely suggestive question works more often than you’d think. It has also wormed its way into pop culture as a pick-up line that’s both a reference to a great show, but also not as lame or overly complicated as many of them tend to be. If Joey’s taught us anything, it’s that simplicity can be a good thing.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“I’m Fine!”
“The One Where Ross is Fine”

“They Don’t Know We Know They Know We Know”
“The One Where Everybody Finds Out”

“My Diamond Shoes Are Too Tight!”
“The One with the List”

“Smell the Fart Acting”
“The One with the Lesbian Wedding”

“That is Brand New Information!”
“The One Where Rachel Tells…”

Although the term “friend zone,” seems deeply entrenched in our collective consciousness now, “Friends” actually popularized it. As Joey watches Ross becoming closer with Rachel, he warns Ross that his romantic hopes are futile. He’s waited too long to express his interest, and is now deep in the “friend zone” - categorized as a friend, rather than a potential romantic partner. Of course, it later turns out that being mayor of Friend Zone isn’t necessarily a permanent position. While expressions similar to “the friend zone” predated it, like simply being “just friends,” the show “Friends” took the term and made it into a state of being.