304 Slang
304 is internet slang for 'hoe,' based on the trick of typing 304 into a calculator and flipping the screen upside down so the digits read as 'hoE.' The term was first cataloged in 2000 and picked up serious traction in the early 2020s as manosphere creators used it as coded language to dodge platform moderation.
Overview
304 is a numeric slang term meaning 'hoe,' derived from the visual trick of entering 304 on a digital calculator and rotating the screen 180 degrees so the digits read as the letters h-o-E1. Adding a 5 in front (5304) turns the display into 'hoEs' using the same flip. The word is used as an insult aimed at women, and some users apply it specifically to prostitutes and sex workers4.
304 works as a piece of algospeak, letting posters avoid the automated filters that flag slurs and sex-related terms on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram4. Because the digits themselves carry no offensive meaning, moderation systems tend to let 304 pass, while viewers who know the code understand exactly what is meant.
How It Spread
How to Use This Meme
304 is typically dropped into a sentence in place of the word 'hoe,' as in 'she's a 304' or 'stay away from 304s.' Users often keep the numeral form deliberately so posts survive platform filters that would flag the actual word. A common convention is pairing 304 with a calculator emoji or a photo of a calculator screen so viewers who have not seen the code before can figure out the trick.