What does “coucou” mean in French?

Coucou is one of French’s most affectionate greetings, lighter and warmer than salut. The word also means “cuckoo” (the bird and the clock), and the greeting comes from the playful sound of someone calling out gently. French speakers use coucou in casual messages, TikTok intros, and family chat threads, often paired with the recipient’s name: coucou Manu, coucou maman, coucou les filles. It’s almost never used in formal writing, but in spoken French it slides into the same slot as English “hey there.”

In this clip, a French TikToker tries different versions of coucou Mani, getting names slightly wrong each time. The greeting carries the whole bit because it’s the natural opener for a French casual video.