What do emoji symbols mean?

From confusing
faces to mysterious symbols
Emoji Meaning When To Use It 

This emoji is sometimes mistaken for When your cat, kid, or

😂 sobbing, but the actual emoji meaning is spouse does or says
laughter—laughing so hard you cry, that is. something hilarious.

Your friend asks you

The upside-down smiling face can be used
to pick them up from
to mean silliness or playfulness, but its best
the airport, and you
🙃 use is for a thing that’s often really hard to
say “Sure!” before
convey over text: Sarcasm! You’re smiling,
they tell you they get
but you’re not really smiling, you know?
in at 5 a.m.

This is called “relieved face,” but we’ve Someone lets you

😌 always thought it’s more of a quiet, modest know they really like
contentment. the gift you sent them.

When the forecast for

Smiling face with sweat is perfect for those
the surprise birthday
times you think something will turn out OK,
😅 picnic you’re planning
but you’re still a little nervous about it. Like
switches to “chance of
that big presentation. It’s going to be fine.
rain” the day before.

The smirking face emoji can also indicate

sarcasm, but be careful with its usage: This Bantering with that
😏 emoji is often used for flirting! To be safe, cutie. You know the
just don’t send it to anyone you’re related one.
to.

😱 According to the creators, this face is You’re texting your

supposed to mean “screaming in fear.” It spouse to come
does have quite a resemblance to the remove a spider from
painting The Scream, but we think it works the bathroom.
 for showing shock, too.

We all know that wearing sunglasses makes

us look cool and effortless, and this emoji is You just got a
😎
used to capture that feeling: someone or promotion.
something that is totally awesome.

This face is used to indicate being asleep.

Or being so bored you could fall asleep. You really need to go
😴
Also, you snore. Sorry you had to find out home and go to bed.
this way!

This emoji is technically called the “sleepy

face” emoji, but is more commonly used to It’s been a long, tough
😪
represent weary sadness or sometimes week.
illness.

Jazz hands? Confusion? Feeling pretty? Someone shares good

🤗
Nope. This emoji is meant to indicate a hug! news with you!

Sometimes, you just

Although this looks like someone gently
have to post a pic of
teasing you, it’s actually meant to indicate
😋 your brunch. This is
something delicious. Like, cookies
the emoji for that
delicious.
picture.

This is one of the most flexible emoji out

When rumors are
there. Although its name is “unamused
flying that your team is
😒 face,” it’s often referred to as the “side eye
going to trade your
emoji,” and can be used to indicate
favorite player.
annoyance, disapproval, or skepticism.

😬 The “grimacing face” is used for a range of Your phone

negative emotions: nervousness, autocorrects a word
awkwardness, embarrassment, it covers and suddenly your
them all! message is the
opposite of what you
 meant to say.

The “face without mouth” emoji is useful

for those times you’re rendered speechless.
It can also be interpreted as very For the (rare) times
😶
deliberately not commenting, such as when when you do judge.
you’re gossiping about someone’s outfit
choice. Not that we would ever judge.

Although the two faces with small tear

We still think it looks
might look similar, they’re intended to have
like it’s crying. Use
different meanings. This one is called “sad
when you’re upset, but
but relieved face” while the other is simply
😥 things could have been
“crying face.” How to tell them apart? Well,
worse. Like when you
this emoji isn’t crying. It’s sweating! And
burnt the cookies, but
the eyebrows are tilted up, rather than down.
only half of them.
It’s subtle, but it’s there.

The classic crying face: This emoji is for We miss you, Ben &
😢 minor sorrows, like your favorite ice cream Jerry’s Crème Brulee
flavor being discontinued. (2007-2012).

We were surprised to find out that this

Trying to decide
emoji is called “confused face,” but on
😕 between an appetizer
further reflection, it does have an aura of
and dessert.
bewilderment.

Not to be confused with “astonished face”

When your sibling
(below), this emoji is called “hushed face.”
announces they’re
So many emoji offer degrees of emotion,
😯 bringing their new
which is useful for communicating nuance
partner to
in famously un-nuanced Internet messaging.
Thanksgiving dinner.
This is for a little surprise, good or bad.

The “astonished face” emoji shows teeth, When you win the
😲 which is how you know they’re gaping in radio competition for
surprise. free festival tickets.
 Another two emoji meanings that are often
confused: This one, “weary face,” and “tired
Your partner surprises
face” (below). The main difference is in the
you with a romantic
shape of the eyes, but they convey two
😩 weekend, and they’re
separate feelings. Firstly, of being resigned
just too sweet for you
to an unpleasant task, and secondly, of
to deal with.
something being so great that you have no
option but to give in to it.

Tired face really, really needs a vacation. You’ve been up all

😫 Or, they just saw the world’s cutest penguin night because your kid
video. has a tummy bug.

Although it’s called “confounded face,” this

emoji is more commonly used to mean
When you lose the
something has brought you to the point of
😖 award. Also, when you
tears. Some things are just so wonderful you
win the award.
want to cry. Other things are so terrible you
also want to cry.

You have a brief

Confusingly, this emoji is called setback that you will
“persevering face.” We have to admit, we overcome, like your
 😣 were thinking of it more as a defeated face. printer dying on the
It just goes to show the power of day your thesis is due.
perspective. Where’s the nearest
Staples?

This emoji can be misconstrued as anger or

When your kid finally
annoyance, but it’s actually meant to depict
😤 takes the trash out
a look of triumph. We think it works for
without being asked.
both!

😠 These emoji are another pair of confusing When someone ate the
faces. The yellow one is called “angry leftovers you were
face,” while the red one (which seems planning to have for
angrier) is called “pouting face.” Generally, lunch.
 however, the red face is used to show a
greater degree of anger than the just very
annoyed yellow face.

When someone threw

This guy looks super mad, doesn’t he? away the leftovers you
😡
Pouting is just not a strong enough word! were planning to have
for lunch.

If something so crazy
As far as cute emoji go, the see-no-evil
happens that it’s
monkey is definitely up there. His siblings
beyond belief (like
are the hear-no-evil and speak-no-evil
🙈 your friend moving to
monkeys, otherwise known as the Three
Uzbekistan for a year)
Wise Monkeys. This guy can’t believe what
this is the emoji for
he’s seeing! (Or he can’t bear to look!)
you.

Your sports team wins,

These next two emoji meanings are also
or a work presentation
often confused; both are considered to mean
🙌 goes really well. Pair
praying, or a high five! However, this one is
with “triumphant face”
actually the “raised hands” emoji.
for added oomph.

In Japanese culture, “folded hands” means

You’re getting
please, or thank you. Over here in the West,
married. Outside.
🙏 it’s often interpreted as praying or even
Without a tent. It’ll be
high-fiving. Usually, though, it’s used to
fine!
mean hope.

This emoji apparently means “OK,” as in,

the arms are raised to make a circle for the
🙆‍♀️ O in OK. We don’t buy it, though! Most It’s party time.
often people using this emoji meaning
they’re dancing.

💁‍♀️ More in the genre of confusing gesture When your best gal pal
emoji: “information desk woman.” That’s applies for that dream
 right, she’s not raising the roof or showing
off her new bob haircut, she’s here to give
you directions. Except no one knows that, job.
so we just use this emoji to mean something
along the lines of “you go, girl.”

Another emoji that comes from Japanese

culture is this “bowing emoji.” Bowing is
part of being polite, which is very important
When you meet your
🙇 in Japan. Some people think this little guy is
favorite celebrity.
doing pushups or just having a lie-down.
We always thought it was kind of a “we are
not worthy” thing.

Assumed meaning: Headache. Real

You forget your keys
meaning: Facepalm! That’s right, this handy
🤦‍♀️ at the office. On a
emoji is meant to indicate embarrassment or
Friday night.
frustration, with yourself and others.

Although this emoji looks like a shooting

To wish your friend a
star or a comet, it’s actually meant to mean
happy birthday, and let
💫 “dizzy,” as in seeing stars! We still think it
them know that they’re
looks more like a shooting star, though, and
a star.
it’s usually used as such.

When you’re hurrying

to meet your pals for
There’s no way around it: this emoji looks
coffee. Just be sure to
rude. But the emoji meaning is not what you
💨 include a little running
think! It’s called the “dashing away” emoji,
person next to it, so
as in a speeding car or sprinting person.
they don’t get the
wrong idea.

💗 There are a lot of heart emoji, and they When you discover the
come in every color. But the emoji true meaning of
meanings can be confusing. This one is Christmas and your
“growing heart” (you can see the lines heart grows three
 around it as it increases in size). sizes.

Be still, my heart!
This emoji means “beating heart,” and you When your heart skips
💓 can see the little sound waves coming off it a beat, or someone
if you look carefully! makes it beat faster,
this is the emoji to use.

Think of a cartoon
Two hearts, beating together… nope. What
character with hearts
💞 about revolving around each other? That’s
dancing around their
what this emoji symbolizes.
head. That’s you.

When your best friend

The “two hearts” emoji meaning is pretty or partner goes with
💕 simple. One heart is you, and the other heart you to that thing they
is someone you love. don’t like, just because
you asked them to.

This emoji may be the most mysterious

emoji of all. It’s a little man, dressed in a
suit… levitating. However. If you’re a ska
When you want to pick
fan, you may recognize this hovering guy as
🕴 it up, pick it up, pick it
the rude boy exclamation mark found on
up.
records by the band The Specials. What can
we say, Japan loves ska. Do we know what
it means? Absolutely not.

Your friend asks you if

you want to go get ice
The 100 emoji technically means “100
💯 cream. This also leaves
points,” but is often used as 100 percent.
the option open to get
100 ice creams.

🕳 This emoji is a hole. Imagine a cartoon When you’re telling

character quickly drawing a circle on the the story of the time
ground, then jumping into it. Or imagine you tripped on your
 shoelaces, bent down
to lace them up, and
ripped your pants, all
yourself doing that if you often find your
on a first date. The
foot in your mouth.
hole is what you
wished was there to
swallow you up.

Some emoji meanings are clear and

obvious, others are like this one, which
Send to that friend
apparently means “anger.” If you’re an
who’s been bugging
💢 anime or manga fan, you may recognize this
you to watch that
symbol as the veins popping out on the
really long anime.
forehead of someone absolutely
incandescent with rage.

This emoji looks like a flower, but its name

Use to document your
is “fish cake with swirl.” In Japan, mashed
journey around the
🍥 fish is shaped into a log and sliced into
city, trying to track
cakes called kamaboko. Now you have a
down a kamaboko.
new emoji, and a new dish to try!

Government buildings look different

When you’re sending
everywhere, which is why we had no idea
out holiday gifts, but
🏤 this was the “post office” emoji. But we’re
want to confuse your
all in favor of things that support USPS, so
relatives.
use this emoji today!

As Eiffel is to Paris, so this tower is to

When you visit Paris!
Tokyo. It was actually inspired by the
🗼 Or Tokyo. Or Las
design of La Tour Eiffel and is the second-
Vegas.
tallest structure in Japan.

♨ Not everywhere in the world is lucky When you finally

enough to be blessed with natural hot splurge and buy that
springs, but the volcanic country of Japan hot tub.
definitely is! This emoji is the symbol for
 hot springs. We feel a little more relaxed
just looking at it.

Send to your partner as

This cute little jellyfish emoji is actually a
part of your campaign
🎐 wind chime emoji! Wind chimes like this
to take a vacation in
are very common in Japan.
Japan.

Honestly, we don’t know why this one

exists. There is already a mobile phone
When you’re calling,
emoji, called “mobile phone emoji.” This
📲 but they’re not picking
one is called “mobile phone with arrow.”
up their phone.
Didn’t your mom tell you pointing was
rude?

This little chevron is the Japanese symbol

for beginner; new drivers are required to Definitely slap one on
🔰 affix one to their car. It’s called the new roller skates
a shoshinsha mark, and is the sign of a you got in quarantine.
newbie.

Ah, the curly loop. Seriously, that’s its

➰ name. It’s possibly also the emoji meaning. Wingardium leviosa?
We don’t know either.

When you’re in the

Ah, the double curly loop. This one has longest meeting of
➿
“going on and on” vibes. your life. Isn’t it time
for lunch?!

To organize that
Karaoke is big in Japan, and this little M
karaoke room night
〽 emoji is the part alternation mark, telling
you’ve been wanting
you that it’s time for the next singer!
to.

🆖 This emoji is confusing at first glance, but When you’re so busy

in fact, stands for the words No Good. you definitely can’t
 make that 2 p.m. call.

The “hollow red circle” emoji. This is

When your friend’s
another emoji meaning that’s been lost in
message contains a
translation; in Japan, the circle is used as an
⭕ typo, give them grade
alternative to a tick to indicate that
school flashbacks with
something is correct. Maybe it’s the red
this nice red circle.
color that gives it bad connotations.

Digital security is important, and this

After you’ve digitally
🔏 “locked with pen” emoji is a shorthand for a
signed that contract.
file or document that is safely locked.

RELATED: Keyboard Shortcuts Symbols

The (even more comprehensive) guide to emoji

meanings
Despite its similarity to words like “emotion” and “emoticon,” the word “emoji” is
actually a Japanese portmanteau of two words: “e,” meaning picture, and “moji,”
meaning character. The resemblance is just a coincidence. Much like the similar-
sounding words from different languages, emoji appear differently on different
devices, and confusion can still arise. If you’re stuck for an emoji that isn’t on our list,
there’s only one place to go: Emojipedia. This website not only shows how every
single emoji ever invented looks on every kind of device and platform, but it also
contains a brief explanation of its meaning, a history, and related emoji, as well as a
copy and paste box. It’s a (second-best) resource for all your emoji questions, so you
don’t accidentally send your boss something better suited for your group chat.