All games have their own lingo and if you are playing a game for the first time it can be a bit confusing. Here is a list of the Jargon you will see in Starcraft and Starcraft 2 and the meanings of these sc phrases. Some of the abbreviations are common to other games in particular Blizzard games but the usage may vary slightly. I have tried to make this list as comprehensive as possible but I am sure I would have left some out. If you have better interpretations or new abbreviations to add please drop me a mail.
This is a list of the commonly used lingo in Starcraft, it does not include race specific jargon which I will create another abbreviation list for as soon as I get some time.
Starcraft Abbreviation List:
| Abbreviation | Short Meaning | Longer description |
| 3/3 | Fully Upgraded | Refers to having maxed out the technology tree upgrades in |
| APM | Actions per minute | Average actions taken per minute, used when evaluating your performance |
| Backdoor | Backdoor Entrance | Alternative base entrances very often blocked by debris which can be destroyed |
| Backstab | Backstabbing | Attacking your allies without warning or notice |
| BM | Bad Mannered | Reserved for sore losers who spam pylons or fly buildings around when they have clearly lost the match |
| BO | Build Order | Refers to the order in which build commands are issued. For example “Rax 11/19” |
| BW | Broodwar | Used to refer to the Starcraft 1 Expansion |
| Chobo | Newbie | Korean phrase for Loser/Newbie |
| Choke | Chokepoint | Narrow areas used to funnel or slow rushes and control the flow off units, a common strategy for Terran players |
| DD | Don’t die | Self explanatory and really good advice  |
| DL | Don’t leave | A request to not leave the game, may signify a request for a rematch |
| Drop | Troup Drop | Describes dropping troops using any of the flying units in game which transport units (overlord, vac etc) |
| DS | Don’t suck | Self explanatory |
| Expo | Expansion | Describes expansion into a new area, often used to refer to your secondary base |
| Eyes | Detection Units | Refers to units that can detect invisible units such as Ravens, Observers and Overseers |
| FTW | for the win | Common to all blizzard games, often used to express approval of units or tactics. |
| G2G | Good 2 Go | Ready to start |
| GG | Good Game | Used at the end of a match as a courtesy to other players specifically the winner |
| GL HF or glhf | Good Luck Have Fun | Used at the beginning of the game most often by the host as a courtesy |
| Gosu | Upper Hand | Korean phrase for high level players |
| GTG | Got to Go | Have to leave now |
| Harrass | Harrasment | Typically small but frequent attacks used to disrupt the opponents supply line or build order |
| Hasu | Lower Hand | Korean phrase for medium level players |
| KA | Kick Ass | Self explanatory |
| L2P | Learn to Play | A common Blizzard saying and normally a very negative way of saying “you suck” |
| Line | Supply Line | Mineral Gathering supply line, for example you may be asked to interrupt a supply line |
| Macro | Macro-management | The big picture focus of game play such as supply line management, productions, build orders and expansion |
| Main | Main base | Usually a players primary base and most often the starting point |
| Mass | Mass Units | Gathering large amounts of units to swarm attack an opponent |
| Micro | Micromanagement | The management of units and armies on the battlefield including the use of unit abilities |
| Money | Resources | Minerals & Gas |
| Nat/Natural | Natural Expansion | The most logical expansion point in relation to starting position |
| Newb | Newbie | Used to refer to new players with little to no experience |
| Noob | Noob | Used to refer to new or unskilled players with poor attitudes or arrogance. |
| Owned/Pwned | Big Lose | A lose by a big margin, for example “I was pwned” or “He got owned” |
| Pump | Unit Production | Short phrase for production of units, normally mass production |
| Cry More | Used to describe whining in game for example somebody could be QQing about race imbalance | |
| RM | Remake | A game started over due to a lost player or any other unfavourable conditions |
| Rush | Early Unit Rush | Describes and early rush of basic units attempting to overun the opponent |
| SC | Starcraft | General abbreviation for Starcraft |
| SC2 | Starcraft 2 | General abbreviation for Starcraft II |
| Scouting | Scouting | Gaining information about the map and opponents using units or structure abilities. |
| SCUM | User Map | A map made by a starcraft player and not Blizzard |
| Tech/Teching | Technology Upgrades | Used to describe spending resources on upgrading technology trees |
| Turtling | Holding Ground | Building up a base with heavy defenses without a big focus on offensive, often a negative term |
| Wall | Blocking Wall | Blocking the ramp with buildings to slow melee units, common Terran strategy to allow marines to kill off early melee rushes |
| Worker | Gathering Units | Refers to building and gathering units – SCV, Probe and Drone |
| WP | Well Played | A courtesy to players who displayed skill during a match |
| XvX | Race vs Race | Used to describe which races are competing for example TvZ means Terran vs Zerg |
| Zerged | Early Rush Description | Used to describe the effect of being rushed, “I was zerged” Popular in many blizzard games for example in WoW you could zerg a PvP point |
And there you have it an extensive list of the phrases and abbreviations you may come across while playing Starcraft or Starcraft II.