ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bravo Zulu

Bravo Zulu is a phrase used in the military to give someone a compliment or tell them they did a good job. It's like when your mommy says, "good job!" when you clean your room or do something helpful.

The words "Bravo" and "Zulu" are both words from the military alphabet. Just like how you have an alphabet that starts with A, B, C, the military has an alphabet that starts with Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. Each word represents a letter. Bravo means "B" and Zulu means "Z". So when someone says "Bravo Zulu" it's like saying "BZ" for short.

When a soldier, sailor, or pilot does something really well or accomplishes a difficult task, they might hear someone say "Bravo Zulu" as a way of saying "awesome job!" or "you did great!" It's a nice way to recognize their hard work and make them feel good.