Emoji Meanings: Communicate Without Embarrassing Yourself

Welcome to our captivating guide on emoji meanings! In today’s digital communication landscape, emojis have become integral to how we express ourselves. These tiny, expressive symbols add a whole new dimension to our messages, conveying emotions, ideas, and nuances in a visually engaging way. However, have you ever wondered about the true meanings behind the emojis? In this blog, we will take you on a fascinating journey to decode the hidden messages behind these delightful icons. From the most commonly used emojis to lesser-known ones, we will explore their origins, interpretations, and cultural significance. Get ready to unravel the mysteries of emoji meanings and elevate your communication to a whole new level.

Let’s dive in and discover the fascinating world of emojis together!

Why it’s important to understand emoji meanings

In this age of increased emoji usage, the significance of these small pictographs cannot be overlooked. They possess a remarkable universality, inclusiveness, and an undeniable amusement element.

Nevertheless, caution must be exercised when incorporating emojis into social media posts to ensure their appropriate usage.

Every emoji carries a literal connotation (e.g., a peach). Still, the true essence of many emojis expands and transforms with time (for instance, a peach emoji can also represent a derriere!). Often, the secondary interpretation overshadows the original intent, with a mere 7% of users employing the peach emoji to depict the actual fruit.

Hence, it holds great significance to familiarize yourself with the meanings behind emojis before their usage, as this can help prevent embarrassment or misinterpretation. The last thing you want is to find yourself innocently tweeting about your grocery store’s offerings, exclaiming, “Look at these eggplants we have! 🍆🤤,” only to be bombarded with highly inappropriate photos in your direct messages.

Stay cautious, folks!

Fortunately, we have conveniently assembled an informative emoji dictionary for your reference. Whenever you ponder the meaning of a specific emoji or are curious about the sudden surge of chair emojis on TikTok, look no further than the comprehensive index provided below.

Additionally, if you seek insights into the enigmatic TikTok emoji or seek guidance on deciphering Snapchat’s friend emojis, we have dedicated resources to assist you with those inquiries!

Emoji Meanings chart: all the meanings of emojis you need to know.

Given the vast number of emojis available today (including the intriguing addition of the melting face, which happens to be my favorite), it is impractical to include every single one. However, we have thoughtfully curated a chart summarizing the most popular and practical emojis for 2023, ensuring you have access to the ones currently in high demand.

Please refer to the chart below for an overview of the selected emojis that will surely enhance your communication and expression in the digital realm.

Smiley faces emoji meanings

😀	grinning face	Genuine happiness, positivity, delight.
😃	grinning face with big eyes	Happiness, delight, laughter.
😄	grinning face with smiling eyes	When something is so funny, you are literally laughing.
😁	beaming face with smiling eyes	is Seriously hilarious.
😆	grinning, squinting face.	Too funny! Stop before I pee myself.
😅	grinning face with sweat	Laughing but relieved, like when you’ve escaped a close call or resolved a stressful situation.
🤣	rolling on the floor laughing	Hysterical laughter.
😂	face with tears of joy.	I’m laughing, but I’m also crying! Unsurprisingly, this was the most popular emoji of 2021.
🙂	slightly smiling face	is The equivalent of someone saying, “Oh, that’s so funny,” with a straight face. Brutal.
🙃	upside-down face	Irony, sarcasm, facetiousness, laughing in the face of despair. (“Great news, my rent just went up 🙃”). Best used with friends.
🫠	Melting face	Shame, embarrassment, “wish I could sink into the floor right now.” Also, a sense of general chaos and derangement. It can also work in a heat wave—a real MVP of the emoji keyboard.
😉	winking face	Flirtatious or “just kidding!”, depending on the context.
😊	smiling face with smiling eyes	Smiling, but with humility or warmth.
😇	smiling face with halo	Angelic, innocent, sweet. When used jokingly, it can mean, “Who, me? I’d never do that!”
🥰	smiling face with hearts	“Wow, I love it/this/you!” Love, friendship, adoration. One of the most popular emoji of last year.
😍	smiling face with hearty eyes	When you see something that makes you go “Awww!” Also one of the top-10 emoji of 2021, according to Emojipedia.
🤩	star-struck	“Wow, that dress makes you look like J Lo at the 2000 Grammys!”
😘	face blowing a kiss	Can be used as an affectionate greeting or sign-off.
😗	kissing face	A restrained smooch or whistling. Not sure who is using this one, TBH!
	Smiling face:	An all-purpose, sincere smile for sharing positive emotions without giving it much thought. On Snapchat, this means this person is a best friend (but not your #1).
😚	kissing face with closed eyes.	The flushed cheeks indicate romance or friendship. A more simple kiss.
😙	kissing face with smiling eyes	A polite or friendly kiss.
🫠	smiling face with tears	Can be used when you’re smiling but dying a little inside. When your work best friend tells you they just got a new job, you might say, “Congratulations, so happy for you”

😋	face savoring food,	“Yum, that looks so good!”
😛	face with tongue	“Wow, you look so good!”
😜	winking face with tongue	Goofiness, silliness, joking around.
🤪	zany face	is Even goofier than the above, a real “I’m losing it!” vibe.
😝	squinting face with tongue	Hilarity, excitement. Or maybe you just bit into something sour.
🤑	money-mouth face	“Show me the money!” Success, prestige, status, or when you splurge and buy the $9 juice at Whole Foods.
🤗	smiling face with open hands	A warm embrace.
🤭	face with hand-over-mouth	Shock and disbelief. “OMG,”
🫢	face with open eyes and hand over mouth.	“Oh no.” When you see something that you wish you hadn’t.
🫣	face with peeking eye	When you can’t look away from a trainwreck.
🤫	shushing face	“Be quiet!” Or “This is a secret, don’t tell anyone.”
🤔	thinking, face	skeptical, and asking. Wow, is that true? When someone says something that is illogical, it might be used in jest.
🫡	Saluting face	“Aye-aye, captain!” Probably being used sarcastically because no one is conveying respect for the troops with emoji.
🤐	zipper-mouth face	“I won’t say a word.”
🤨	face with a raised eyebrow	“Excuse me, what?”
😐	neutral face	Picture Homer trying to dissolve into the bushes. Trying not to give away any reaction.
😑	expressionless face	“Nope, I’m not engaging with that.”
😶	face without mouth	At a literal loss for words. Shock, surprise, bafflement, confusion.
🫥	Dotted line face	Trying to fade into the background, feeling invisible, or feeling like you don’t belong.
😶‍🌫️	face in clouds	A person in a steam room, or maybe hotboxing.
😏	smirking face	Sarcasm, joking around, or expressing “Get a load of this guy!” On Snapchat, it means you are one of their best friends, but they’re not one of yours.
😒	unamused face	“Not funny.”
🙄	face with rolling eyes	“Not funny and also cringe.”
😬	grimacing face	“Yikes!” On Snapchat, this means your best friend is their best friend too.
😮‍💨	face exhaling,	Sighing, expressing relief, or letting out a puff of smoke.
🤥	lying face	Like Pinocchio, this means you told a lie.
😌	relieved face	Serene, unbothered, blissful. The face you make after you know you’ve done a good job.
😔	pensive face	Thoughtful, or sad, depressed, downcast.
😪	sleepy face	Tired or sleeping. Yes, that’s a snot bubble.
🤤	drooling face	“That [person or cheeseburger] looks sooooo good.”
😴	sleeping face	So tired right now.
😷	face with medical mask	Sick, or taking precautions to avoid getting sick.
🤒	face with thermometer	Definitely sick.
🤕	face with head-bandage	Sick, with a headache, or hungover.
🤢	nauseated face	“That’s disgusting”
🤮	face vomiting	“So gross I could puke”
🤧	sneezing face	Sick, suffering from allergies, or crying into a tissue.
🥵	hot face	Sweating— from heat, spicy food, or because you saw something (or someone), you’re really into.
🥶	cold face	In addition to the obvious meaning (“I’m freezing!”), this emoji also refers to frosty behavior: “Damn, that’s cold!”
🥴	woozy face	Perfect for any confusion or disorientation: drunkenness, bafflement, or exhaustion.
😵	face with crossed-out eyes	Shock, surprise, or horror.
😵‍💫	face with spiral eyes	Can be used as a metaphor for mysterious circumstances, dizziness, or spending too much time staring at a Magic Eye puzzle, similar to the dizzy expression.
🤯	exploding head	Mind-blowing, awe-inspiring, unbelievable
🤠	cowboy hat face	Ready for anything? This emoji signals that you have an adventure. Giddy-up!
🥳	partying face	FIt the good news, celebrations, happy announcements, and birthdays.
🥸	disguised face	“Who, me?”
😎	smiling face with sunglasses	When feeling chill, carefree, slick, and under control. On Snapchat, this means ​​one of your best friends is one of their best friends.
🤓	nerd face	When you’re too excited about the upcoming Star Wars movie.
🧐	face with monocle	When pondering, looking closely, or thinking deeply about something.
😕	confused face	Perfect for strange situations or texts you don’t know how to interpret.
😟	worried face	When your friend texts, “Great news! I picked up day-old sushi!”
🙁	slightly frowning face	When you’re just a little worried.
	Frowning face	When you’re worried.
😮	face with open mouth	“Oh wow!” It can be positive or negative.
😯	hushed face	A more muted “uh, wow!” reaction.
😲	astonished face	A “WTF!” emoji for all-purpose bafflement.
😳	flushed face	Embarrassment or shock.
🥺	pleading face	With its big Bambi eyes, this face can be used when asking for a special favor, or when something strikes you as incredibly adorable.
🥹	face holding back tears	When you’re not crying, you just have a little dust in your eye or something.
😦	frowning face with open mouth	Used for unpleasant surprises or unfortunate events.
😧	anguished face	Like the frowning face above, but the raised eyebrows add even more emphasis to your unhappy emotions.
😨	fearful face	When things are not looking good, but you’re not panicking.
😰	anxious face with sweat	Okay, now you’re panicking.
😥	sad but relieved face	The worst is over— you’re not happy, but it didn’t turn out that bad after all.
😢	crying face	Sad but trying to keep it in check.
😭	loudly crying face	One of the most popular emojis this is used for intense emotions ranging from sadness to relief, happiness, and love.
😱	face screaming in fear,	Horror, terror, just saw the biggest spider in the shower.
😖	confounded face	Frustrated, grumpy, upset.
😣	persevering face	Focused, or maybe you just ate something sour.
😞	disappointed face,	Bummed out, or just plain tired.
😓	downcast face with sweat	Under a lot of pressure, worried.
😩	weary face	Tired, stressed out, anxious, or worried.
😫	tired face	Even more exhausted and ready to quit.
🥱	yawning face	ready for bed.
😤	face with steam from nose	Irritated, annoyed, in a huff.
😡	pouting face	Stronger negative emotions— you’re upset or angry.
😠	angry face	When you come home and find someone has eaten the last piece of pizza.
🤬	face with symbols on mouth	Furious, outraged, just received a parking ticket.
😈	smiling face with horns	Often used in flirtatious ways, this little devil indicates cheekiness.
👿	angry face with horns	You’re ready to wreak some havoc.
💀	skull	Death, dying, also used by Gen Z when something is so hilarious you could die.
☠️	Skull and crossbones	Like the skull above, this can mean “death” or “death from laughter.”
💩	pile of poo	When something is awful, but you have a sense of humor.
🤡	clown face	When someone is making a fool of themselves.
👻	ghost	“Boo!” It can be used for surprising someone or being silly.
👽	alien	Weirdness, eeriness, spooky vibes.
👾	alien monster	A friendly little space creature that looks straight from an old arcade game. For that reason, it’s popular with vintage computer and gaming folks.
🤖	robot	A charming little robot for weird, nerdy, or technical occasions.
😺	grinning cat	Pleasure, happiness.
😸	grinning cat with smiling eyes	thrilled.
😹	cat with tears of joy	When something is genuinely hilarious.
😻	smiling cat with heart-eyes	Love, delight, admiration.
😼	cat with wry smile	Sarcasm, cheekiness, mischief.
😽	kissing cat	Affection, love, friendship.
🙀	weary cat	Alarm, fear, horror.
😿	crying cat	Sad, heartbroken, disappointed.
😾	pouting cat	Angry, annoyed, upset.
🙈	see-no-evil monkey	“OMG! I don’t want to see that!” Cringing, embarrassed, or surprised.
🙉	hear-no-evil monkey	“Stop! I don’t want to hear that!” Shocked, surprised, bashful.
🙊	speak-no-evil monkey	“I can’t believe it!” or “Oops! I shouldn’t have said that.”

Hearts and symbols emoji meanings

💋	kiss mark	Showing someone love or affection.
💌	love letter	When you’re sending a heartfelt message.
💘	heart with arrow	When you’re feeling sweet or romantic.
💝	heart with ribbon	When sending a gift (even if that gift is just your love).
💖	sparkling heart,	a loving heart with a little extra pizzazz.
💗	growing heart	When you’re moved or emotional.
💓	beating heart	When someone (or something) makes your heart flutter with emotion.
💞	revolving hearts	The connection between the two hearts symbolizes how close you feel to the person you’re exchanging this emoji with.
💕	two hearts	A sweet, friendly heart icon for romance or friendship. On Snapchat, this means you have been #1 BFFs for two months straight.
💟	heart decoration	This little cut-out heart is a nice alternative if you find you’re wearing out the heart emoji
❣️	heart exclamation	A nice piece of punctuation to end a love note
💔	broken heart	Sadness, heartbreak, romantic disappointment
❤️‍🔥	heart on fire	When you feel passionately romantic about someone or something
❤️‍🩹	mending heart	When you had your heart broken or bruised, but you’re healing
❤️	red heart	The classic red heart, for all your romantic and loving messages. On Snapchat, this means you have been best friends for two weeks straight.
🧡	orange heart	The newest rainbow heart (added in 2017), orange is a cheery color for friendly messages.
💛	yellow heart	Yellow hearts can mean affection, optimism, friendship, or kindness. On Snapchat, this means you are the #1 best friend.
💚	green heart	Green hearts are popular among fans of the K-Pop band NCT
💙	blue heart	Affection, friendship, romance.
💜	purple heart	Purple hearts are popular among fans of the K-Pop band BTS.
🤎	brown heart	The least popular heart emoji. Brown is earthy, grounded, and natural.
🖤	Blackheart	Blackhearts have a little edge compared to the others. The leather jacket-clad motorcycle boy of heart emojis
🤍	white heart	Sympathy, kindness, gentleness.
💯	hundred points	When you strongly agree with something or think it’s completely accurate. On Snapchat, this appears when you have a 100-day Snap streak with someone.
💢	anger symbol	Representing the veins that pop out on your forehead when you’re mad, this emoji is used for fury and outrage.
💥	collision	This little explosion can be used for exciting or surprising events.
💫	dizzy	This emoji represents “seeing stars” from dizziness or disorientation but is also often used along with star emojis to indicate positivity, giddiness, or excitement.
💦	sweat droplets	While this technically refers to sweat dripping, it’s also used as an NSFW symbol for sex.
💨	dashing away	While this symbolizes running fast (and represents the little puff of air that cartoon characters leave behind as they speed away), it also indicates vaping, smoking, or farting.
🕳	hole	When you’re so embarrassed you wish you could crawl into a hole.
💣	bomb	When something is amazing (“the bomb”)
💤	zzz	When you’re asleep right now.
⏳	hourglass	Time is running out. On Snapchat, this means your streak is about to end.
🧢	billed cap	Shorthand for cap, which is slang for a lie. It can also be used with any no sign, like the no entry sign emoji (🚫) or the cross mark emoji (❌), to say “no cap” or “This is true.”
🎯	bullseye	The bullseye or direct hit emoji means someone has said something that’s right on the mark.

Hands emoji meanings

👋	waving hand	A friendly “hi” or “hello”
👌	OK hand	When you want to let someone know everything is fine.
🤌	pinched fingers	Also called “the Italian hand gesture” or the “Chef’s kiss,” this is used positively to refer to exceptionally good things.
🤏	pinching hand	When you’re this close or almost finished with something.
✌	Victory hand	V for victory! Also used in North America as a peace symbol.
🤞	crossed fingers	When you’re hoping something works out well.
🤟	love-you gesture	This is the American Sign Language gesture for “I love you.”
🤘	sign of the horns	This is the gesture you might make at a concert, commonly called “rock on!”
🤙	call me hand	While this represents someone holding up a phone to say “Call me,” it also resembles the surfer-culture symbol that means “hang loose” or “take it easy!”
👈	backhand index pointing left	Like the other pointing emoji, this one can be helpful if you want to underscore a point being made in a previous sentence.
👉	backhand index pointing right	When you’re pointing at something over here. 👉. Also, when used with the pointing-left hand (👉👈), it can mean bashfulness or shyness
👆	backhand index pointing up	“See above.”
🖕	Middle finger	A rude gesture meaning “F*** you!”
👇	backhand index pointing down	“See below.”
☝	index pointing up	When you want to raise your hand, but politely.
👍	thumbs up	“All good!”
👎	thumbs down	“Not good, I don’t like it, very bad.”
✊	raised fist	Solidarity, pride, power.
👊	oncoming fist	A threatening gesture meant to intimidate someone or show them you’re really angry.
👏	clapping hands	Applause! Great job! It can also be used to emphasize words or statements.
🙌	raising hands	High-fives, celebrations, success.
🫶	⊛ heart hands	This cute emoji expresses care, love, affection, and support.
👐	open hands	Openness, affection, warmth. The Deaf community can also use it to indicate jazz hands or silent applause.
🤲	palms up together	In American Sign Language, this represents an open book. Muslims also use it to represent prayer.
🤝	handshake	“It’s a deal.” Agreement or consensus.
🙏	folded hands	Also called “prayer hands,” this can be used to express gratitude or as an enthusiastic high-five.
💅	nail polish	This manicure emoji represents being chill or unbothered.
✍️	writing hand	Taking notes, learning a lesson

Other body parts emoji meanings

💪	flexed biceps	This muscled arm can mean strength, power, or endurance. It can be sent to someone who recently accomplished something tough or important or to show you’re working hard at something
🧠	brain.	While this emoji can indicate thinking or curiosity, it has also been adopted as an NSFW sign for “giving head.”
🫀	Anatomical heart	When you want to send someone a heart
🫁	lungs	Can be used in discussions of smoking or vaping, as well as medical discussions (particularly about Covid-19)
👀	eyes	This “I saw that” emoji can be used to express surprise, distaste, or disapproval. However, it can also have positive meanings— especially when sent in response to an attractive photo. On Slack or in business communications, it can mean “looking at this now” when applied to a shared document.
👁	eye	This emoji is often used in combination with the mouth emoji (👁 👄 👁 ) to indicate surprise, shock, disgust, or horror.
👅	tongue	This emoji can mean you’re mocking or teasing someone (sticking your tongue out at them), or it can be used to mean licking or drooling.
👄	mouth	This emoji is often used in combination with the eye emoji (👁 👄 👁 ) to indicate surprise, shock, disgust, or horror. It can also be sent instead of the kiss emoji.
🫦	Biting lip	This emoji is often used to mean flirting but can also be used to indicate nervousness or anxiety.

Faces and people emoji means

👶	baby.	On Snapchat, you just became friends.
🙅	person gesturing NO	“No way!” or “Absolutely not.” There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🙆	person gesturing OK	“All good!” or “Okay!” There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
💁	person tipping hand	Originally known as “Information Desk Woman,” this emoji indicates helpfulness. It’s more commonly used for sassiness. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🙋	person raising hand	When you want to ask a question (or you know the answer!) There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🧏	deaf person	Used for folks who are hearing-impaired or Deaf.
🙇	person bowing	While this emoji indicates bowing respectfully, it’s often used to indicate fatigue or boredom.
🤦	person facepalming	Embarrassment, shame, disbelief.
🤷	person shrugging	When you have no clue, sorry!
🧑‍💻	technologist	A great all-purpose “I’m at work” emoji for those of us with desk jobs.
👼	Baby angel	Innocence, sweetness. Often used during Christmas by those who celebrate.
🦸	superhero	When you’re feeling heroic, or you’ve pulled off an impressive feat. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🦹	supervillain	When you’re feeling cheeky or want to cause some trouble. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🧚	fairy	A little mythological creature often used on Snapchat to accompany sassy or sarcastic comments.
🧜	merperson	A mythical sea creature. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🧞	genie	A wish-granting mythical creature. The perfect emoji for when someone is asking you for a big favor. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🧟	zombie	An undead creature. Perfect for when you are hungover, exhausted, or barely functioning. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🧌	troll	A scary mythical creature. It can be used when talking about internet trolls.
💆	person getting massage	Rest, relaxation, chilling out.
💇	person getting haircut	Getting spruced up or taking care of your appearance.
🏃	person running	This emoji can mean “I’m on my way!” or indicate you’re so excited about something that you’re running to get it. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
💃	woman dancing	When you’re excited, happy, and ready to go out and have fun. There’s also a male version of this emoji.
🕺	Man dancing	The counterpart to “woman dancing,” this emoji represents fun, good times, and a party-ready mood.
👯	people with bunny ears	Two people in matching bunny suits represent the Japanese version of the Playboy Bunny. Often used when you are wearing the same outfit as someone else (“twinning.”), There are also male and female versions of this emoji.
🧖	person in a steamy room	can indicate relaxation and self-care.

Stars and other symbols emoji meanings

✨	sparkles	A positive, happy emoji used in affectionate or friendly messages and often combined with heart emojis for romantic sentiments. It can also be used sarcastically, especially on TikTok, which emphasizes a facetious sentiment. (“I’m so ✨happy✨ for my ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend!”)
⭐️	star	A positive emoji indicating success, achievement, fame, good news, or happiness.
🌟	shining star	This is an extra-special star, so it’s used for positive or exciting messages. On Snapchat, this emoji is displayed beside someone who has had their Snaps replayed in the last 24 hours.
⚡️	High voltage	Technically, this emoji refers to the safety symbol for high-voltage electrical currents. It’s more commonly used as a lightning bolt, symbolizing great ideas, flashes of inspiration, or excitement. It is also sometimes used to represent the party drug MDMA.
🔥	fire	is a universal, positive symbol. The fire emoji shows strong approval for something (or someone). It is also used on Snapchat to indicate that you are on a Snap streak with someone.
💎	gemstone	This glittery emoji often means that someone is “a gem.” It can mean beautiful, rare, precious, or special. It is also sometimes used to refer to drugs.
❄️	snowflake	In addition to snowy weather, this emoji has several secondary meanings. It is sometimes used to refer to drugs, particularly cocaine. It is also used online as an insult to refer to a sensitive person (“a snowflake”).
🍋	lemon	The lemon was co-opted by Beyoncé fans after the 2016 release of Lemonade.
🍌	banana	This fruity emoji is often used in NSFW contexts to refer to the male anatomy.
🍒	cherries	In addition to the fruit, this emoji can also be used to symbolize breasts.
🍑	peach	This emoji is most commonly used to refer to butts, not peaches.
🍍	pineapple	This emoji is used on Snapchat to indicate a complicated romantic relationship.
🍆	eggplant	Like the banana, this emoji is most commonly used for male anatomy.
🥑	avocado	On TikTok, couples often use this emoji to mean “my better half.”
🌶	chili pepper	This emoji is used when something is hot or spicy, whether that’s a person, a piece of gossip, or a breaking news story.
🌽	corn	This emoji is often used on TikTok to mean “porn.” Because TikTok safety filters catch adult content, this rhyming emoji is used as a stand-in.
🌮	taco	Like many of the food emojis above, this emoji is used to mean female anatomy.
🚁	helicopter	This emoji became popular on Snapchat about Fifty Shades of Grey (and its billionaire heartthrob Christian Grey). On TikTok, it’s also used in romantic settings.
🌿	herb	This leafy emoji is often used to refer to marijuana
🍃	leaf fluttering in the wind	Like the above, this is commonly used for marijuana.
🔌	plug	This emoji means someone has connections or can hook you up with something. These can be illicit or shady.
🔒	lock	This emoji can refer to secret or secure information. It’s also sometimes used on Instagram and other social media to refer to being in a relationship (“locked down”), particularly when paired with a heart or another user’s name.
💊	pill	This emoji can be used to indicate medicine or illness. It is also sometimes used to refer to drugs.
🪑	chair	This emoji became a meme on TikTok in 2021, meaning that one was laughing at a joke.
🚩	triangular flag	Also called the “red flag emoji,” this symbol is often used to emphasize danger or share an important safety warning.
🦄	unicorn	A unicorn is a mythical and special creature, so this is often used to refer to something too good to be true. It’s also commonly used on dating apps by users looking to hook up with a couple.
🎣	fishing pole	Can mean fishing for compliments or validation.

18 hidden and tricky emoji meanings

Slightly Smiling Face 🙂

Sure, it seems benign. But this is the emoji equivalent of replying to an email with “no worries!” a passive-aggressive gesture designed to stoke anxiety in the recipient.

Because there are so many more cheerful emoji options that you could have selected, choosing this smiley face signals tepid interest at best and outright contempt at worst.

Corn 🌽

The corn emoji is often used on TikTok to mean “porn.” Sexually explicit content goes against TikTok’s community guidelines, so users get creative when discussing adult topics. Using the corn emoji (get it? It rhymes) helps users skirt the rules and prevent their content from being deleted.

Clapping Hands 👏

This can be used to refer to “clapping back” when someone responds to an insult or criticism in a witty fashion.

It emphasizes the statement when used between words (like 👏 this 👏). However, accessibility advocates have pointed out that using the clapping hand emoji, in this case, is a nightmare for those who rely on screen readers.

Dashing Away 💨

While this emoji represents the puff of air that you see behind a fast-moving cartoon character, it’s also commonly used to refer to vaping or smoking. Also, based on my scientific analysis of my group chats, it represents farting.

Goat 🐐

GOAT is slang for “Greatest Of All Time.” You should feel pretty good about yourself when someone drops a goat emoji.

Snake 🐍

The snake emoji is often used to drag someone for being sneaky or duplicitous. It’s most famously linked to the Taylor Swift-Kanyé feud of 2016.

Bee 🐝

Often used by Beyoncé fans, along with the lemon emoji. Both emoji spiked dramatically after her Lemonade album dropped in 2016.

While this example is a few years old, the dramatic rise of the bee emoji is a reminder of how rapidly emoji meanings can evolve.

Avocado 🥑

This is used frequently on Snapchat to refer to being someone’s “better half.” Cute!

Leaf Fluttering in Wind 🍃

This emoji often refers to marijuana.

Cold Face 🥶

This can refer to harsh or savage behavior, like “Damn, that’s cold.”

Fairy 🧚

You’ll often see the fairy emoji on TikTok as part of a dark or mean-spirited joke. For example, someone might write in the comment on a video, “You go, girl! 🧚 and don’t come back plz! 🧚” or “You have so much confidence! 🧚 no idea why tho 💕☺️”

Nail Polish 💅

The nail polish emoji is often used to mean unbothered or indifferent. It’s a little bit sassy, like saying, “Who cares? Not me.” It’s the emoji equivalent of this iconic Don Draper line. It can also signify that someone is gay or a part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Skull 💀

If you use the crying-laughing emoji when something is funny, you’re probably over 30. Gen Z, meanwhile, uses the skull when something is hilarious. (As in, “so funny I could die”).

Brain 🧠

Another emoji that has taken on new, horny connotations. TikTok often uses The brain emoji to mean “giving head.”

Information Desk Person 💁‍♀️

This emoji is a helpful person at an info desk, ready to answer your questions. But typically, it’s used like a shrug to mean, “Who knows?” or “I don’t care!” The figure looks like it’s flipping its hair, which adds a sassy or sarcastic element.

Bowing Person 🙇

Because emoji originated in Japan, many reflect Japanese norms and culture. For example, this person is bowing deeply to indicate respect. But to many people, especially those in North America, it looks like they have their heads on the table as if bored or exhausted. Consider your audience before using this one!

Anger 💢

Another emoji with Japanese origins, this one resembles the veins that appear on a manga character’s face when they’re furious.

New Moon 🌚

This emoji is often used to express disapproval, or signal that the sender is throwing shade.

9 more emojis to avoid in professional communications

All of the emoji above should be used with caution. Because they have hidden meanings, they might signal different things to different people— and ambiguity is never a great idea in professional communications.

Below we have a few more to avoid at work. A warning to our delicate readers: as you might guess, many of the emoji below have sexual connotations. As always, the golden rule of professional communications is to avoid unintended horniness. We’re here to help with that.

Eggplant 🍆

The eggplant is a stand-in for a body part with a similar shape. Don’t use it! If you’re an eggplant farm, you either need to lean all the way into this sexy connotation or skip emoji all together.

Banana 🍌

Let’s just say any phallic fruit or vegetable has no place in work communications, okay?

Peach 🍑

As mentioned in the intro, the peach is 12x more likely to be used to refer to a booty than the actual fruit. That said, it might work for you if you are an underwear brand.

Upside-Down Smiley face 🙃

The upside-down smiley face usually indicates sarcasm or facetiousness (“I’m so happy it’s raining during our beach vacation 🙃”). Unless your brand has an edgy tone, using this emoji may confuse or irritate your customers.

Purple Devil Emoji 😈

Arguably the horniest emoji, which is saying something.

Droplets 💦

Often used to refer to the splashy results of sexual congress. Please don’t make us say more.

Confetti Ball 🎊

Same as droplets. Just..don’t do it.

Hot Face 🥵

Users typically drop this emoji when they find something steamy or arousing. If you’re posting about the weather or a particularly fiery hot sauce, opt for a sun or flame emoji instead.

Tongue 👅

Pretty much any emoji that indicates drooling, licking, or an open mouth can be interpreted as “horny.” As such, they’re best avoided.

Poop 💩

If you’re unsure why a smiling pile of poop doesn’t belong in your professional communications, you need more support than an emoji meanings guide can provide. Exceptions apply if you are a bidet company or a plumber.

Your full emoji meanings guide

Smiley faces emoji meanings

😀 Grinning face emoji meaning

The grinning face emoji means genuine happiness, positivity, or delight.

😃 Grinning face with big eyes emoji meaning

The grinning face with big eyes emoji means happiness, delight, or laughter.

😄 Grinning face with smiling eyes emoji meaning

The grinning face with smiling eyes emoji means something is so funny you are literally laughing.

😁 Beaming face with smiling eyes emoji meaning

The beaming face with smiling eyes emoji means something is particularly amusing or satisfying.

😆 Grinning squinting face emoji meaning

The grinning squinting face emoji means something is extra exciting or funny.

😅 Grinning face sweat emoji meaning

The grinning face with sweat emoji means you’re laughing but relieved, like when you’ve escaped a close call or resolved a stressful situation.

🤣 Rolling on the floor laughing emoji meaning

The rolling on the floor laughing emoji means hysterical laughter.

😂 Face with tears of joy emoji meaning

The face with tears of joy emoji means you’re laughing so hard, you’re crying.

🙃 Upside-down face emoji meaning

The upside-down face emoji means irony, sarcasm, facetiousness, or laughing in the face of despair. Best used with friends.

🫠 Melting face emoji meaning

The melting face emoji means shame or embarrassment.

😉 Winking face emoji meaning

The winking face emoji means joking or flirting, depending on the context.

😊 Smiling face with smiling eyes emoji meaning

The smiling face with smiling eyes emoji means smiling but with humility or warmth.

😇 Smiling face with halo emoji meaning

The smiling face with halo emoji means angelic or innocent. When used jokingly, it can also mean, “Who, me? I’d never do that!”

🥰 Smiling face with hearts emoji meaning

The smiling face with hearts emoji means love, friendship, or adoration.

😍 Smiling face with heart-eyes emoji meaning

The smiling face with heart-eyes emoji means enthusiastic love or affection.

🤩 Star-struck emoji meaning

The star-struck emoji means you’ve seen something particularly impressive or fascinating.

😘 Face-blowing a kiss emoji meaning

The face-blowing kiss emoji means a kiss goodbye. It can be used as an affectionate greeting or sign-off.

😗 Kissing face emoji meaning

The kissing face emoji means a restrained smooch or whistle.

  Smiling face emoji meaning

The smiling face emoji means an all-purpose, genuine smile. On Snapchat, this means this person is a best friend (but not your #1).

😚 Kissing face with closed eyes emoji meaning

The kissing face with closed eyes emoji means affection or romantic love.

😙 Kissing face smiling eyes emoji meaning

The kissing face with smiling eyes emoji means a polite or friendly kiss.

🥲 Smiling face with tear emoji meaning

The smiling face with tear emoji means something is bittersweet or particularly touching.

😋 Face savoring food emoji meaning

The face-savoring food emoji means that something is or looks delicious. This can also mean that someone looks attractive.

😛 Face with tongue emoji meaning

The face with tongue emoji means something is silly, cute, or exciting.

😜 Winking face with tongue emoji meaning

The winking face with tongue emoji means something is goofy or silly.

🤪 Zany face emoji meaning

The zany face emoji means something is extra silly or fun.

😝 Squinting face with tongue emoji meaning

The squinting face with tongue emoji means exuberant hilarity or excitement.

🤑 Money-mouth face emoji meaning

The money-mouth face emoji means success, prestige, or status.

🤗 Smiling face with open hands emoji meaning

The smiling face with open hands emoji means a warm embrace or jazz hands.

🤭 Face with hand over mouth emoji meaning

The face with hand over mouth emoji means coy laughter or embarrassment.

🫢 Face with open eyes and hand over mouth emoji meaning

The face with open eyes and hand over mouth emoji means shock, surprise, or disbelief.

🫣 Face with peeking eye emoji meaning

The face with peeking eye emoji means you want to look away from something embarrassing or frightening but are unable to.

🤫 Shushing face emoji meaning

The shushing face emoji means “Be quiet!” or “This is a secret, don’t tell anyone.”

🤔 Thinking face emoji meaning

The thinking face emoji means pondering or being deep in thought. It can be used when something doesn’t make sense.

🫡 Saluting face emoji meaning

The saluting face emoji means pride, patriotism, or respect. It can also be used sarcastically.

🤐 Zipper-mouth face emoji meaning

The zipper-mouth face emoji means confidentiality or secrecy.

🤨 Face raised eyebrow emoji meaning

The face with raised eyebrow emoji means suspicion, skepticism, or disbelief.

😐 Neutral face emoji meaning

The neutral face emoji means neutrality or mild irritation. Trying not to give away any reaction.

😑 Expressionless face emoji meaning

The expressionless face emoji means frustration or annoyance.

😶 Face without mouth emoji meaning

The face without mouth emoji means shock, surprise, or confusion.

🫥 Dotted line face emoji meaning

The dotted line face emoji means trying to fade into the background or feeling invisible.

😶‍🌫️ Face in clouds emoji meaning

The face in clouds emoji means feeling foggy or confused. It can also mean being surrounded by smoke.

😏 Smirking face emoji meaning

The smirking face emoji means something is mischievous, flirtatious, or suggestive. On Snapchat, it means you are one of their best friends, but they’re not one of yours.

😒 Unamused face emoji meaning

The unamused face emoji means something is unfunny or irritating.

🙄 Face with rolling eyes emoji meaning

The face with rolling eyes emoji means something is unfunny, boring, or frustrating.

😬 Grimacing face emoji meaning

The grimacing face emoji means something is embarrassing or awkward. On Snapchat, this means your best friend is their best friend too.

😮‍💨 Face exhaling emoji meaning

The face exhaling emoji means relief, exhaustion, or disappointment.

🤥 Lying face emoji meaning

The lying face emoji means deceit or dishonesty. Like Pinocchio, your nose is growing.

😌 Relieved face emoji meaning

The relieved face emoji means serene, unbothered, or blissful. This is the face you make after you know you’ve done a good job.

😔 Pensive face emoji meaning

The pensive face emoji means quietly sad, depressed, or disappointed.

😪 Sleepy face emoji meaning

The sleepy face emoji means tired or sleeping. In anime or manga, a snot bubble indicates a character is tired or sleepy.

🤤 Drooling face emoji meaning

The drooling face emoji means desire or admiration.

😴 Sleeping face emoji meaning

The sleeping face emoji means to sleep or boredom.

😷 Face with medical mask emoji meaning

The face with medical mask emoji means sick or taking precautions to avoid getting sick.

🤒 Face with thermometer emoji meaning

The face with thermometer emoji means sick with a cold or flu.

🤕 Face with head-bandage emoji meaning

The face with head-bandage emoji means sick with a headache or physical pain.

🤢 Nauseated face emoji meaning

The nauseated face emoji means physical illness or, more general, disgust.

🤮 Face vomiting emoji meaning

The face vomiting emoji means physical illness or intense disgust.

🤧 Sneezing face emoji meaning

The sneezing face emoji means sick, especially with allergies, or crying into a tissue.

🥵 Hot face emoji meaning

The hot face emoji means sweating from the heat, spicy food, or because you saw something (or someone) you’re really into.

🥶 Cold face emoji meaning

The cold face emoji means physically cold or unfriendly behavior.

🥴 Woozy face emoji meaning

The woozy face emoji means any state of confusion, disorientation, or infatuation.

😵 Face with crossed-out eyes emoji meaning

The face with crossed-out eyes emoji means shock, surprise, or horror. Can also represent intoxication or death.

😵‍💫 Face with spiral eyes emoji meaning

The face with spiral eyes emoji means confusion, dizziness, or disorientation.

🤯 Exploding head emoji meaning

The exploding head emoji means something is mind-blowing, awe-inspiring, or unbelievable.

🤠 Cowboy hat face emoji meaning

The cowboy hat face emoji means exuberance, whimsy, or confidence.

🥳 Partying face emoji meaning

The partying face emoji means good news, celebrations, happy announcements, and birthdays.

🥸 Disguised face emoji meaning

The disguised face emoji means someone is hiding or in disguise.

😎 Smiling face with sunglasses emoji meaning

The smiling face with sunglasses emoji means confident, carefree, or cool. On Snapchat, this means ​​one of your best friends is one of their best friends.

🤓 Nerd faces emoji meaning

The nerd face emoji means dorky enthusiasm or interests.

🧐 Face with monocle emoji meaning

The face with monocle emoji means pondering, looking closely, or thinking deeply about something.

😕 Confused face emoji meaning

The confused face emoji means something is strange or difficult to interpret.

😟 Worried face emoji meaning

The worried face emoji means something is particularly sad, tense, or upsetting.

🙁 Slightly frowning face emoji meaning

The slightly frowning face emoji means mild worry or concern.

Frowning face emoji meaning

The frowning face emoji means moderate concern or disappointment.

😮 Face with open mouth emoji meaning

The face with open mouth emoji means mild surprise, shock, or disbelief.

😯 Hushed face emoji meaning

The hushed face emoji means surprise, embarrassment, or mild excitement.

😲 Astonished face emoji meaning

The astonished face emoji means awe, admiration, excitement, or concern.

😳 Flushed face emoji meaning

The flushed face emoji means embarrassment or shock.

🥺 Pleading face emoji meaning

The pleading face emoji means adoration or pleading.

🥹 Face holding back tears emoji meaning

The face holding back tears emoji means sadness, gratitude, or admiration.

😦 Frowning face with open mouth emoji meaning

The frowning face with open mouth emoji means something is an unpleasant or unfortunate surprise.

😧 Anguished face emoji meaning

The anguished face emoji means alarm, confusion, or sadness.

😨 Fearful face emoji meaning

The fearful face emoji means something is upsetting but not devastating. It can mean fear, amazement, shock, or sadness.

😰 Anxious face with sweat emoji meaning

The anxious face with sweat emoji means sadness, disappointment or fear.

😥 Sad but relieved face emoji meaning

The sad but relieved face emoji means mild frustration or upset. The worst is over — you’re not happy, but it didn’t turn out that bad after all.

😢 Crying face emoji meaning

The crying face emoji means moderate sadness or pain. Sad, but trying to keep it in check.

😭 Loudly crying face emoji meaning

The loudly crying face emoji means intense emotion. Can be used to convey sadness, relief, laughter, and joy.

😱 Face screaming in fear emoji meaning

The face screaming in fear emoji means intense or exaggerated emotion. Can be used to represent horror or fright as well as awe or excitement.

😖 Confounded face emoji meaning

The confounded face emoji means you are overcome by emotion. Can be used to represent frustration, irritation or disgust.

😣 Persevering face emoji meaning

The persevering face emoji means you are focused or putting in serious effort.

😞 Disappointed face emoji meaning

The disappointed face emoji means general unhappiness, including disappointment, regret, grief, or stress.

😓 Downcast face with sweat emoji meaning

The downcast face with sweat emoji means under a lot of pressure, worried or frustrated.

😩 Weary face emoji meaning

The weary face emoji means tired, stressed out, anxious or worried.

😫 Tired face emoji meaning

The tired face emoji means tired, frustrated or sad. Depending on the context, it can also mean being overwhelmed by excitement or affection.

🥱 Yawning face emoji meaning

The yawning face emoji means you are tired or bored by a conversation.

😤 Face with steam from nose emoji meaning

The face with steam from nose emoji means irritation, anger, or contempt. It can also mean pride or empowerment.

😡 Pouting face emoji meaning

The pouting face emoji means intense anger or rage.

😠 Angry face emoji meaning

The angry face emoji means anger, irritation, or outrage.

🤬 Face with symbols on mouth emoji meaning

The face with symbols on mouth emoji means fury, outrage, or frustration. The symbols represent obscenities.

😈 Smiling face with horns emoji meaning

The smiling face with horns emoji means mischief or excitement. You are often used in flirtatious ways.

👿 Angry face horns emoji meaning

The angry face with horns emoji means anger or menace. You are commonly used to represent devils or devilish behavior.

💀 Skull emoji meaning

The skull emoji means death or dying, usually in a figurative sense. Used by Gen Z when something is so hilarious you could die.

☠️ Skull and crossbones emoji meaning

The skull and crossbones emoji means death or danger. Similar to the skull emoji.

💩 Pile of poo emoji meaning

The pile of poo emoji means something is awful, but you have a sense of humor about it.

🤡 Clown face emoji meaning

The clown face emoji means something is creepy, foolish, or selfish. They are used when someone is making a fool of themselves.

👻 Ghost emoji meaning

The ghost emoji means something is surprising, funny, or goofy. They are generally used in a friendly way.

👽 Alien emoji meaning

The alien emoji means something is weird, eerie, or spooky, but in a playful way.

👾 Alien monster emoji meaning

The alien monster emoji means something is weird, wacky, or exciting. Because the pixelated design looks straight out of an old arcade game, it’s popular with vintage computer and gaming folks.

🤖 Robot emoji meaning

The robot emoji means something is weird, nerdy, or particularly technical.

😺 Grinning cat emoji meaning

The grinning cat emoji means general pleasure or happiness. This is a cat version of the grinning face emoji.

😸 Grinning cat with smiling eyes emoji meaning

The grinning cat with smiling eyes emoji means happiness or amusement. This is a cat version of the grinning face with smiling eyes emoji.

😹 Cat with tears of joy emoji meaning

The cat with tears of joy emoji means something is genuinely hilarious. This is a cat version of the face with tears of joy emoji.

😻 Smiling cat with heart-eyes emoji meaning

The smiling cat with heart-eyes emoji means love, delight, or admiration. This is a cat version of the smiling face with heart-eyes emoji.

😼 Cat with wry smile emoji meaning

The cat with wry smile emoji means sarcasm, cheekiness, or mischief. It can also be flirtatious or suggestive. This is a cat version of the smirking face emoji.

😽 Kissing cat emoji meaning

The kissing cat emoji means affection, love, or friendship. This is a cat version of the kissing face with closed-eyes emoji.

🙀 Weary cat emoji meaning

The weary cat emoji means alarm, fear, or horror. This is a cat version of the weary face emoji, though it looks more like the face screaming in fear.

😿 Crying cat emoji meaning

The crying cat emoji means sad, heartbroken, or disappointed. This is a cat version of the crying face emoji.

😾 Pouting cat emoji meaning

The pouting cat emoji means angry, annoyed, or upset. This is a cat version of the pouting face emoji.

🙈 See-no-evil monkey emoji meaning

The see-no-evil monkey emoji means playful embarrassment or surprise, as in “I can’t believe what I’m seeing!” One of the three wise monkeys represents the proverb, “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”

🙉 Hear-no-evil monkey emoji meaning

The hear-no-evil monkey emoji means playful astonishment or disbelief, as in “I can’t believe what I’m hearing!” One of the three wise monkeys represents the proverb, “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”

🙊 Speak-no-evil monkey emoji meaning

The speak-no-evil monkey emoji means playful disbelief or “I can’t believe what I just said!” It can also mean you’ll keep a secret. One of the three wise monkeys represents the proverb, “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”

Hearts and symbols emoji meanings

💋 Kiss mark emoji meaning

The kiss mark emoji means love or affection.

💌 Love letter emoji meaning

The love letter emoji means love, happiness, or affection. You are used when sending a heartfelt message.

💘 Heart with arrow emoji meaning

The heart with arrow emoji means you’re feeling sweet, romantic, or love-struck.

💝 Heart with ribbon emoji meaning

The heart with ribbon emoji means you’re sending a gift (even if that gift is just your love).

💖 Sparkling heart emoji meaning

The sparkling heart emoji means you’re feeling playful and affectionate.

💗 Growing heart emoji meaning

The growing heart emoji means your heart is growing in size as if you’ve moved or overcome by emotion.

💓 Beating heart emoji meaning

The beating heart emoji means passionate love or excitement. You are used when someone (or something) makes your heart flutter with emotion.

💞 Revolving hearts emoji meaning

The revolving hearts emoji means infatuation or falling in love.

💕 Two hearts emoji meaning

The two hearts emoji means mutual love, affection, or encouragement. 

💟 Heart decoration emoji meaning

The heart decoration emoji means love, affection, or admiration.

❣️ Heart exclamation emoji meaning

The heart exclamation emoji means love or affection. You are commonly used to express enthusiastic agreement.

💔 Broken heart emoji meaning

The broken heart emoji means sadness, heartbreak, or romantic disappointment.

❤️‍🔥 Heart on fire emoji meaning

The heart on fire emoji means passionate love or intense feelings about someone or something.

❤️‍🩹 Mending heart emoji meaning

The mending heart emoji means healing or recovering from a broken heart.

❤️ Red heart emoji meaning

The red heart emoji means gratitude, love, hope, and other warm feelings. This is the most popular heart emoji. On Snapchat, you have been best friends for two weeks straight.

🧡 Orange heart emoji meaning

The orange heart emoji means love, support, or admiration. The newest of the rainbow hearts (added in 2017), orange is also a cheery color for friendly messages.

💛 Yellow heart emoji meaning

The yellow heart emoji means affection, optimism, friendship, or kindness. On Snapchat, this means you are the #1 best friend.

💚 Green heart emoji meaning

The green heart emoji means love, support, or admiration. Green hearts are popular among fans of the K-Pop band NCT.

💙 Blue heart emoji meaning

The blue heart emoji means affection, friendship, or romance.

💜 Purple heart emoji meaning

The purple heart emoji means love, support, or admiration. Purple hearts are popular among fans of the K-Pop band BTS.

🤎 Brown heart emoji meaning

The brown heart emoji means love or affection. Often used to represent racial identity.

🖤 Black heart emoji meaning

The black heart emoji means sorrow or dark humor. The leather jacket-clad motorcycle bad boy of heart emojis.

🤍 White heart emoji meaning

The white heart emoji means sympathy, kindness, or gentleness.

💯 Hundred points emoji meaning

The hundred points emoji means you strongly agree with something or think it’s completely accurate. On Snapchat, this appears when you have a 100-day Snap streak with someone.

💢 Anger symbol emoji meaning

The anger symbol emoji means fury or outrage. They are meant to depict the veins that pop out on your forehead when you’re mad.

💥 Collision emoji meaning

The collision emoji means general excitement, like an explosion of joy or surprise.

💫 Dizzy emoji meaning

The dizzy emoji means “seeing stars” from dizziness or disorientation but is also often used along with star emojis to indicate positivity, giddiness, or excitement.

💦 Sweat droplets emoji meaning

The sweat droplets emoji mean liquid in general. While this technically refers to sweat dripping, it’s also used as an NSFW symbol for sex.

💨 Dashing away emoji meaning

The dashing away emoji means running fast (and represents the little puff of air that cartoon characters leave behind as they speed away). It’s also used to indicate vaping, smoking, or farting.

🕳 Hole emoji meaning

The hole emoji means all literal and figurative holes. It can be used when you’re embarrassed and wish to crawl into a hole.

💣 Bomb emoji meaning

The bomb emoji means something is explosive or amazing. Usually not meant literally.

💤 Zzz emoji meaning

The Zzz emoji means sleep, snoring, or dreaming. It can also mean something is boring.

⏳ Hourglass not done emoji meaning

The hourglass not done emoji means time is running out.

⏳ Hourglass did emoji meaning.

The hourglass emoji means the time has run out. On Snapchat, this means your streak is about to end.

🧢 Billed cap emoji means

The billed cap emoji is shorthand for cap, slang for a lie. It’s often used on social platforms like TikTok when someone thinks a user is lying. It can also be used with any no sign, like the no entry sign emoji (🚫) or the cross mark emoji (❌), to say “no cap” or “This is true.”

🎯 Bullseye emoji meaning

The bullseye or direct hit emoji means someone has said something that’s right on the mark. Nailed it.

Hands and body parts emoji meanings

👋 Waving hand emoji meaning

The waving hand emoji means either “Hello” or “Goodbye.”

👌 OK hand emoji meaning

The OK hand emoji means “I’m okay” or “Sounds good.”

🤌 Pinched fingers emoji meaning

The pinched fingers emoji, also known as “the Italian hand gesture,” can mean something is incorrect, frustrating, or disappointing. In other cultures, this emoji can refer to exceptionally good things.

🤏 Pinching hand emoji meaning

The pinching hand emoji means that something is small or that you’re almost finished with a task.

✌ Victory hand emoji meaning

The victory hand emoji, also known as the peace sign emoji, means general goodwill or goodbye. In British culture, the reverse of this symbol is considered a rude gesture.

🤞 Crossed fingers emoji meaning

The crossed fingers emoji means you’re hoping something works out well.

🤟 Love-you gesture emoji meaning

The love-you gesture emoji means “I love you” in American Sign Language.

🤘 Sign of the horns emoji meaning

The sign of the horns emoji means “Rock on!” Usually associated with music, particularly heavy metal. This emoji has a variety of other meanings depending on its context.

🤙 Call me hand emoji meaning

The call me hand emoji means “Call me.” It also resembles the surfer-culture symbol that means “Hang loose” or “Take it easy!”

👈 Backhand index pointing left emoji meaning

The backhand index pointing left emoji means “Look left.” Like the other pointing emoji, this one can be helpful if you want to underscore a point being made in a previous sentence.

👉 Backhand index pointing right emoji meaning

The backhand index pointing right emoji means “Look right.” When used with the pointing-left hand emoji (👉👈), it can mean bashfulness or shyness.

👆 Backhand index pointing up emoji meaning

The backhand index pointing up emoji means “Look up” or “See above.”

🖕 Middle finger emoji meaning

The middle finger emoji means you’re flipping the bird. A rude gesture meaning “F*** you!”

👇 Backhand index pointing down emoji meaning

The backhand index pointing down emoji means “See below.”

☝ Index pointing up emoji meaning

The index pointing up emoji means you want to raise your hand, but politely. Can also represent the number one.

👍 Thumbs up emoji meaning

The thumbs up emoji means approval or “All good!”

👎 Thumbs down emoji meaning

The thumbs down emoji means disapproval, or “Not good, I don’t like it, very bad.”

✊ Raised fist emoji meaning

The raised fist emoji means solidarity, celebration, pride or power.

👊 Oncoming fist emoji meaning

The oncoming fist emoji means you either want to punch someone or fist-bump them in solidarity.

👏 Clapping hands emoji meaning

The clapping hands emoji means applause or “Great job!” Can also be used to emphasize words or statements.

🙌 Raising hands emoji meaning

The raising hands emoji means general celebration, including high fives.

🫶 Heart hands emoji meaning

The heart hands emoji means care, love, affection or support.

👐 Open hands emoji meaning

The open hands emoji means openness, affection or warmth. Can also be used by the Deaf community to indicate jazz hands or silent applause.

🤲 Palms up together emoji meaning

The palms up together emoji means “an open book” in American Sign Language. This emoji is also used by Muslims to represent prayer.

🤝 Handshake emoji meaning

The handshake emoji means agreement or consensus. “It’s a deal.”

🙏 Folded hands emoji meaning

The folded hands emoji means gratitude or an enthusiastic high-five. Also called the “prayer hands” emoji.

💅 Nail polish emoji meaning

The nail polish emoji means you feel chill, nonchalant or unbothered.

✍️ Writing hand emoji meaning

The writing hand emoji means you’re taking notes or writing down advice to use later. Can be used on its own but can be used between every word in one sentence, as in “✍️ stop ✍️ watching ✍️ tiktoks ✍️ all ✍️ day ✍️.”

💪 Flexed biceps emoji meaning

The flexed biceps emoji means strength, power, or endurance. Can be sent to someone who has recently accomplished something tough or important or to show you’re working hard at something.

🧠 Brain emoji meaning

The brain emoji means thinking or curiosity. It has also been adopted as an NSFW sign for “giving head.”

🫀 Anatomical heart emoji meaning

The anatomical heart emoji means anything related to cardiology or heart health. Can also be used interchangeably with the red heart emoji.

🫁 Lungs emoji meaning

The lungs emoji means anything related to lung health. Can be used in discussions of smoking or vaping or in reference to taking deep breaths or breathing in general.

👀 Eyes emoji meaning

The eyes emoji means “I saw that.” Can be used to express surprise, distaste, or disapproval. However, it can also have positive meanings— especially when sent in response to an attractive photo. On Slack or in business communications, it can mean “looking at this now” when applied to a shared document.

👁 Eye emoji meaning

The eye emoji means approval or disgust, depending on context. Often used in combination with the mouth emoji (👁 👄 👁 ) to indicate surprise, shock or horror.

👅 Tongue emoji meaning

The tongue emoji means you’re mocking or teasing someone (sticking your tongue out at them). Can be used to mean licking or drooling.

👄 Mouth emoji meaning

The mouth emoji means speech in general. Often used in combination with the eye emoji (👁 👄 👁 ) to indicate surprise, shock, disgust or horror. It can also be sent instead of the kiss emoji.

🫦 Biting lip emoji meaning

The biting lip emoji means flirtation or anticipation but can also be used to indicate nervousness or anxiety.

Real and mythical people emoji meanings

👶 Baby emoji meaning

The baby emoji means pretty much anything in relation to babies. On Snapchat, this means you just became friends.

🙅 Person gesturing No emoji meaning

The person gesturing no emoji means “No way!” or “Absolutely not.” There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🙆 Person gesturing OK emoji meaning

The person gesturing ok emoji means “All good!” or “Okay!” There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

💁 Person tipping hand emoji meaning

The person tipping hand emoji means “Thank you,” but it’s more commonly used when being sassy. Originally known as “Information Desk Woman.” There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🙋 Person raising hand emoji meaning

The person raising hand emoji means you want to ask a question (or you know the answer!). There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🧏 Deaf person emoji meaning

The deaf person emoji is used for folks who are hearing-impaired or Deaf.

🙇 Person bowing emoji meaning

The person bowing emoji means bowing with respect, but it’s often used to indicate fatigue or boredom.

🤦 Person facepalming emoji meaning

The person facepalming emoji means embarrassment, shame or disbelief.

🤷 Person shrugging emoji meaning

The person shrugging emoji means you have no clue, sorry!

🧑‍💻 Technologist emoji meaning

The technologist emoji means “I’m at work” and represents technology workers or general computer users.

👼 Baby angel emoji meaning

The baby angel emoji means innocence or sweetness. Often used during Christmas by those who celebrate.

🦸 Superhero emoji meaning

The superhero emoji means you’re feeling heroic or you’ve pulled off an impressive feat. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🦹 Supervillain emoji meaning

The supervillain emoji means you’re feeling cheeky or want to cause some trouble. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🧚 Fairy emoji meaning

The fairy emoji means either magic or sass, depending on its usage. They are often used on TikTok or Snapchat to accompany sarcastic comments.

🧜 Merperson emoji meaning

The merperson emoji means this mythical sea creature in particular but can be used for anything related to the ocean or swimming. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🧞 Genie emoji meaning

The genie emoji means you’re doing someone a big favor or hoping for good luck. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🧟 Zombie emoji meaning

The zombie emoji means you are feeling hungover, exhausted, or barely functioning. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🧌 Troll emoji meaning

The troll emoji means someone is behaving like this scary mythical creature. Can be used when talking about internet trolls.

💆 Person getting massage emoji meaning

The person getting massage emoji means rest, relaxation or chilling out.

💇 Person getting haircut emoji meaning

The person getting haircut emoji means you’re getting spruced up or taking care of your appearance.

🏃 Person running emoji meaning

The person running emoji means “I’m on my way!” or that you’re so excited about something that you’re running to get it. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

💃 Woman dancing emoji meaning

The woman dancing emoji means you’re excited, happy, and ready to go out and have some fun. There’s also a male version of this emoji.

🕺 Man dancing emoji meaning

The man dancing emoji means fun, good times, and a party-ready mood. This emoji is the male counterpart of the woman dancing emoji.

👯 People with bunny ears emoji meaning

The people with bunny ears emoji means friendship, fun, or general party vibes. These two people in matching bunny suits represent the Japanese version of the Playboy Bunny. There are also male and female versions of this emoji.

🧖 Person in steamy room emoji meaning

The person in steamy room emoji means relaxation and self-care.

Stars and other symbols emoji meanings

✨ Sparkles emoji meaning

The sparkles emoji means generally positive feelings, like love, gratitude, or excitement. They are often combined with heart emojis for romantic sentiments. It can also be used sarcastically, especially on TikTok, which emphasizes a facetious sentiment. (“I’m so ✨happy✨ for my ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend!”)

⭐️ Star emoji meaning

The star emoji means success, achievement, fame, good news, or happiness.

🌟 Glowing star emoji meaning

The glowing star emoji means something is particularly positive or exciting. On Snapchat, this emoji is displayed beside someone who has had their Snaps replayed in the last 24 hours.

⚡️ High voltage emoji meaning

The high voltage emoji means lightning or electricity but can also represent great ideas, flashes of inspiration, or excitement. It is also sometimes used to represent the party drug MDMA.

🔥 Fire emoji meaning

The fire emoji means you feel strong approval for something (or someone). It is also used on Snapchat to indicate that you are on a Snap streak with someone.

💎 Gem stone emoji meaning

The gemstone emoji means beautiful, rare, precious, or special. Commonly used to refer to jewelry, but also sometimes used to refer to drugs.

❄️ Snowflake emoji meaning

The snowflake emoji means snowy or cold weather. This emoji has several secondary meanings. It is sometimes used to refer to drugs, particularly cocaine. It is also used online as an insult to refer to a sensitive person (“a snowflake”)

🍋 Lemon emoji meaning

The lemon emoji means something is sour or unpleasant. Beyoncé fans co-opted this emoji after the 2016 release of Lemonade, and when used by the Beyhive means enthusiastic love for the pop star.

🍌 Banana emoji meaning

The banana emoji means something is crazy (“that’s bananas!”), but this fruity emoji is often used in NSFW contexts to refer to the male anatomy.

🍒 Cherries emoji meaning

The cherries emoji means the fruit, but this emoji can also symbolize breasts.

🍑 Peach emoji meaning

The peach emoji means butts, not peaches, in most contexts.

🍍 Pineapple emoji meaning

The pineapple emoji means the fruit but is used on Snapchat to indicate a complicated romantic relationship.

🍆 Eggplant emoji meaning

The eggplant emoji means male anatomy, not the vegetable.

🥑 Avocado emoji meaning

The avocado emoji means brunch or a healthy lifestyle. On Snapchat, couples often use this emoji to mean “my better half.”

🌶 Chili pepper emoji meaning

The chili pepper emoji means something is hot or spicy, whether that’s a person, a piece of gossip, or a breaking news story.

🌽 Ear of corn emoji meaning

The ear of corn emoji can mean something is corny, but this emoji is often used on TikTok to mean “porn.” Because TikTok safety filters catch adult content, this rhyming emoji is used as a stand-in.

🌮 Taco emoji meaning

The taco emoji means female anatomy.

🚁 Helicopter emoji meaning

The helicopter emoji became popular on Snapchat about Fifty Shades of Grey (and its billionaire heartthrob Christian Grey). On TikTok, it’s also used in romantic settings.

🌿 Herb emoji meaning

The herb emoji means cooking, herbal medicine, or plant life in general. It can be used to refer to marijuana.

🍃 Leaf fluttering in wind emoji meaning

The leaf fluttering in wind emoji means wind, spring, or good weather. It can be used to refer to marijuana.

🔌 Electric plug emoji meaning

The electric plug emoji means electricity or power but is often used to mean someone has connections or can hook you up with something. These can be illicit or shady.

🔒 Locked emoji meaning

The locked emoji means something is secret or secure. This emoji is also sometimes used on Instagram and other social media to refer to being in a relationship (“locked down”), particularly when paired with a heart or another user’s name.

💊 Pill emoji meaning

The pill emoji means health, medicine, or illness. It is also sometimes used to refer to drugs.

🪑 Chair emoji meaning

The chair emoji became a meme on TikTok in 2021, meaning that one was laughing at a joke.

🚩 Triangular flag emoji means

The triangular flag emoji, or “red flag emoji,” means danger or warning.

🦄 Unicorn emoji meaning

The unicorn emoji means something rare, unique, or special. You are often used to refer to something too good to be true. It’s also commonly used on dating apps by users who are looking to hook up with a couple.

🎣 Fishing pole emoji meaning

The fishing pole emoji means someone is fishing for compliments or validation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, emojis have become an integral part of our modern communication, transcending language barriers and adding depth to our messages. Understanding the meanings behind these tiny pictographs is crucial to avoid any potential misinterpretations or awkward situations. With our comprehensive emoji dictionary and a curated selection of the most popular and useful emojis for 2023, you can confidently navigate the world of emojis and use them creatively to convey your emotions and ideas effectively. Embrace the power of emojis, and let them bring joy, humor, and connection to your digital conversations, making them more vibrant and engaging than ever before. Happy emoji-ing! 🎉😊