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The meaning of “thx” depends somewhat on the context. There are differences between digital communication and the meaning of “THX” in relation to sound and image quality.
What thx means
In online communication, it is common to abbreviate frequently used expressions to save time.
- “thx” is internet slang for the English word ‘thanks’, which means “thank you” in German.
- Example: “I sent you the picture.” – “thx!”
- The abbreviation “thx” is mainly used in chats, forums, social media, and messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram, or Discord. It is particularly popular among younger users because it is informal and quick to type.
- Origin and distribution: The abbreviation dates back to the early days of the internet and was already in use in the 1990s in online games and forums. It has become established online with the global spread of English as the lingua franca. In gaming communities or streaming chats, “thx” is often used as a spontaneous, short response.
How to use “thx” correctly
Depending on the situation and the person you are communicating with, “thx” can come across as friendly, neutral, or too curt. In formal emails or in a professional context, it is therefore advisable to use a written form such as “thank you,” “thank you very much,” or “thanks a lot.”
- Examples of appropriate use: Informal: “thx for the link!”; Slightly more polite: “thx a lot!” or “thx so much!”; Formal: “Thank you very much.”
- International variants: “tnx” – alternative spelling in Eastern European forums; “10x” – phonetic variant (“tenx” = thanks), common in Israel; ‘merci’ or “thx :)” – hybrid forms in bilingual online communities
THX – Quality certificate for audio and video systems
The situation is quite different with the capitalized form “THX”: this is not an abbreviation used in chat, but a protected trademark.
- THX was developed in the 1980s by George Lucas and his company Lucasfilm Ltd. The aim was to create a uniform quality standard for sound and image reproduction – initially in cinemas, and later also for home theater systems and computer speakers.
- Technical significance: The THX certificate guarantees that a product offers high fidelity and precise sound quality. The test covers criteria such as: frequency response and freedom from distortion, spatial sound distribution, signal-to-noise ratio, speaker tuning, and room acoustics.