Emoji Cultural Dictionary
Discover how emojis are interpreted differently in Chinese and Western cultures
Face with Tears of Joy
Expressing speechlessness or disbelief
Laughing so hard you're crying
Rolling on the Floor Laughing
Stronger laugh than 😂
Sarcastic laugh or mocking someone
Loudly Crying Face
Actually crying or sad
Could be crying from laughter or expressing inner pain
Grinning Face with Smiling Eyes
Embarrassed smile
Laughing at something or someone
Face Without Mouth
Speechless
Awkward or embarrassed
Hot Face
Feeling hot or overheated
Describing someone as attractive or sexy
Skull
Used to express 'I'm dying' from laughter or exhaustion
Laughing so hard (skull emoji = I'm dead from laughing)
Smiling Face
Used ironically to show disrespect
Warm, genuine smile expressing happiness
Relieved Face
Used sarcastically or passive-aggressively
Peaceful, relieved expression
Face with Rolling Eyes
Expressing unfriendliness or disapproval
Expressing disbelief or annoyance
Pleading Face
Often used sarcastically or unfriendly
Begging or pleading expression
Thumbs Up
Agreement or praise
OK in most places, but offensive in Middle Eastern countries
OK Hand
Perfect or OK
OK in most places, but offensive in Brazil and some Arab countries. In France means 'zero' or 'worthless'
Pile of Poo
Something bad or awful
Silly or playful. In Japan means 'good luck'
Face with Steam
Angry or extremely frustrated
Feeling proud, confident, or triumphant
Face with Monocle
'Let me examine this carefully'
Being pretentious or acting smart
Face Blowing Kiss
Expressing thanks or friendly affection
Flirting or showing romantic interest
Winking Face
Cute wink or being playful
Implying an inside joke or hidden meaning
Grimacing Face
Forced smile or speechless
Feeling nervous or extremely uncomfortable
Woozy Face
Drunk or dizzy feeling
Intoxicated or obsessed with something/someone
Neutral Face
Completely speechless
Being cold or showing annoyance
Face in Clouds
Taking a shower or in steam
Feeling depressed or wanting to disappear
Hugging Face
Friendly greeting or showing kindness
Giving a hug or embracing
Sleepy Face
Feeling sleepy, ready for bed
Sad or feeling unwell
Face Exhaling
Feeling relieved
Out of breath or relieved
Pinched Fingers
Having everything under control, mastery
Italian gesture for perfect/delicious
Eyes
Secretly watching or observing
Curious or intrigued
Flexed Biceps
Showing support or encouragement
Strong, showing off muscles
Nail Polish
Getting a manicure or nail care
Dismissive attitude, 'I don't care' or LGBTQ+ culture
Baseball Cap
Just a hat or cap
'Cap' - slang for lying or false statement
Avocado
Just an avocado fruit
Boring or basic, especially in California where it's too common
Locked
Something is locked
In a relationship, taken
Unlocked
Something is unlocked
Single, available
Sweat Droplets
Sweat or rain drops
[NSFW] Suggestive meaning
Fire
Fire or hot temperature
Sexy, attractive, or awesome
Octopus
Just a cute octopus
Clingy or intimate
Goat
Just a goat
GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), similar to Chinese '牛' for awesome
Snake
Just a snake
Sneaky or treacherous person
Ghost
Cute ghost emoji
Ghosting - suddenly disappearing from communication
Worm
Just a worm
[NSFW] Suggestive meaning for hookup
Dog Face
Mocking someone's inappropriate or shameless behavior (similar to calling someone a 'dog')
Cute pet, loyalty, or friendliness