A List of Common Emoji Meanings

Emojis enhance the chatting experience by helping you express your feelings more accurately. Due to the sheer number of emojis, it’s pretty challenging to keep up with all their meanings. Here’s a list of major emojis used in online communication to help you use each correctly.

Emoji Meanings for the iPhone

Since there are currently more than 3,000 emojis available on iPhone, you’re unlikely to use all of them when texting. Here are the meanings of the most popular emojis you’ll probably start using daily.

Face With Tears of Joy

This emoji is so popular it was named the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year in 2015. It’s widely used to indicate something is amusing to the point of tears. It has a similar counterpart—Rolling on the Floor Laughing Face—which conveys intense, hysterical laughter.

Smiling Face With Heart-Eyes

This emoji is an insanely popular choice that signifies enthusiastic affection or love for someone or something.

Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes

This emoji expresses warm feelings, genuine happiness, and humility. It’s a better choice than the Slightly Smiling Face, which has adopted somewhat of a condescending and passive-aggressive tone.

Loudly Crying Face

The Loudly Crying Face emoji is used for intense feelings, typically inconsolable grief or overwhelming joy.

Smiling Face With Sunglasses

This emoji looks cool and means just the same. It can also express confidence or a carefree attitude.

The Three Wise Monkeys

These monkeys represent the proverb, “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” The See-No-Evil monkey is great when you can’t believe what you’re seeing or reading. The Hear-No-Evil Monkey will help indicate you don’t want to hear more of someone’s story. The Speak-No-Evil Monkey is the embodiment of “Oops!”

Pleading Face

Despite being added relatively recently, this emoji has become a fan favorite. One look at its huge “puppy eyes” and you’ll know why. Use this emoji when asking for a special favor, when touched by a loving gesture, or when something adorable comes your way.

Face Screaming in Fear

The name of this emoji is pretty self-explanatory. It’s not necessarily used only for fear. You can use it to express intense excitement, shock, or awe.

Smirking Face

Did you say anything smug, sly, or mischievous? Follow it up with a Smirking Face emoji. Keep in mind this emoji can also convey flirtation.

Winking Face

This emoji can set different tones, depending on the context. You can use it jokingly, but it can also have a suggestive or ironic undertone.

Neutral Face

Although intended to represent a neutral feeling, this emoji is frequently used to express mild irritation or concern.

Grimacing Face

Has someone written something embarrassing or awkward? The Grimacing Face emoji perfectly captures the “yikes” reaction.

Enraged Face

The person you’re texting can’t see how mad their statement made you feel. This emoji expresses intense feelings of rage or hate. If you deem swearing the only appropriate reaction, throw a Face with Symbols Over Mouth into the mix.

Nauseated Face

Sure, you can talk about someone’s physical illness using this emoji. But you can also express your intense disgust for something.

Exploding Head

Have you just heard something mind-blowing? The Exploding Head emoji is the perfect reaction. It can also represent shock and disbelief.

Hundred Points

This emoji usually stands for keeping it 100, which means staying truthful and authentic. You can also use it to strongly agree with a statement or an action.

Eyes

In business communication, this emoji indicates you’re looking at a file or project at the moment. It has a more risqué meaning on social media. It usually indicates approval of an attractive photo or indicates a deceitful act.

Skull

The Skull emoji indicates a figurative death, usually from extreme frustration or laughter. Gen Z has added another sentiment to the list – extreme embarrassment.

Clown Face

This emoji is another Gen Z favorite. It’s used for people who act foolishly. You can also use it to express you’ve been played or fooled by someone.

Emoji Meanings Hearts

There’s no shortage of heart emojis if you want to send your love via a message. There’s a heart variant for every occasion and person in your life. Let’s explore the most prevalent heart emojis and their meanings.

Red Heart

Hands down, this is the most popular heart emoji across various platforms. It’s typically used to denote love and romance.

This heart also has a similar counterpart known as Heart Suit. Initially intended to represent a symbol for card games, many users became more fond of this emoji than the classic red heart. The Heart Suit has a matte appearance and a slightly darker shade. It’s usually used to express love, affection, and romance.

Two Hearts

Why have one heart when you can have two? Since the smaller heart is seemingly soaring into the sky, this emoji usually sends the message that love is in the air.

Colored Hearts

Colored heart emojis are frequently used together in a rainbow-like display. Users reach for these hearts when they fear a red heart might send too strong a message. Your heart choices include these colors.

• Purple
  
• Blue
  
• Yellow
  
• Green
  
• Orange
  
• Brown
  

Some heart emojis have become symbols of a particular topic across social media. The Purple Heart is associated with the Korean boy band sensation BTS. The Green Heart emoji is reserved for their fellow band NCT.

Some brands have coopted the Blue Heart emoji for communication on social media due to its neutral color. The Brown Heart can be seen in discussions where topics of racial identity arise.

White Heart

The White Heart is one of the recent additions to the heart emoji assortment. It’s commonly used when discussing someone who’s passed away. In these cases, it’s usually paired with a Dove emoji.

Black Heart

Despite the somewhat morbid color, the Black Heart emoji is frequently used to express love and affection. It was a welcome addition for people who find the typical hearts too cheesy. This emoji also expresses feelings more typically associated with black, such as sorrow.

Broken Heart

No other heart can match the meaning of this emoji, which is hurt caused by a loved one or the ache you feel when missing someone.

Growing Heart

This emoji features three hearts, with the smaller ones inside a larger heart. This placement gives an impression of a heart increasing in size. It typically means that the sender is moved or emotional.

Beating Heart

Due to the movement lines around this heart, it looks like it’s beating. It’s best used to convey that your heart is fluttering with emotion.

Emoji Meanings in Snapchat

With its many acronyms and hashtags, it might seem like Snapchat users communicate in a secret code. Emojis are no different, as each otherwise regular emoji has a special meaning on this platform. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Baby

A Baby emoji next to a user’s name signifies that you’ve just become a Snapchat friend with them.

Yellow Heart

A Yellow Heart next to a Snapchat contact denotes the person you snap with the most, and who also snaps you back the most. If you keep the streak going for two consecutive weeks, the yellow heart will transform into a Red Heart emoji.

Two Hearts

If there’s a Two Hearts emoji next to your Snapchat contact, you two have been Snapchat #1 best friends for two consecutive months.

Smiling Face

You exchange a lot of snaps with this user, making them your best friend on Snapchat. However, they still need to work their way up to the number one spot.

Face With Sunglasses

If a user has this emoji next to their name, you have a mutual best friend on Snapchat. You both exchange a lot of snaps with the same person. If your #1 best friend becomes their #1 best friend as well, the emoji will turn into a Grimacing Face emoji.

Smirking Face

This user sends you a lot of snaps, but you’re not as generous with your responses. You’re one of their best friends on Snapchat, but they aren’t yours.

Gold Star

A Gold Star next to a user’s name means someone has replayed their story in the past 24 hours.

Fire

A Fire emoji next to a user’s name means you’re on a Snapstreak with them; you’ve exchanged snaps daily. There’s a number next to the emoji to indicate the total number of days the streak has been going on. Once you get to 100 days, the emoji will turn into a Hundred Points emoji.

Hourglass

The Hourglass emoji means your streak with that user is about to end.

Birthday Cake

This emoji appears next to a Snapchat friend celebrating their birthday if they’ve chosen to enable that feature.

Emoji Meanings Hands

When you’re not talking to someone in person, you’re missing a vital element of non-verbal communication – gestures. These hand emojis can help you convey your intended message more precisely.

Waving Hand

The Waving Hand emoji is the perfect way to say hi or hello or say bye in a friendly manner.

OK Hand

If everything’s fine or you want to agree with someone’s statement or suggestion without using words, the OK Hand emoji is a perfect choice.

Pinched Fingers

A recent addition to the emoji list, the Pinched Fingers emoji is associated with an Italian gesture denoting disagreement or frustration. This emoji has acquired another meaning, far more prevalent across social media, and it is “chef’s kiss.” It means something is exceptionally good.

Crossed Fingers

This emoji is ideal for wishing someone luck. You can also use it to convey you’re hoping for a favorable outcome in an important event.

Clapping Hands

Besides the somewhat obvious congratulatory meaning, this emoji can be used to emphasize words. Put a Clapping Hand emoji at each end of the statement you want to be heard loud and clear. Multiple consecutive Clapping Hand emojis denote a round of applause.

Handshake Emoji

This emoji conveys agreement or consensus.

Folded Hands

Someone declared that this emoji is meant to convey a high five. While you’re free to use emojis as you please, the Folded Hands emoji is primarily used for prayer. It’s also commonly used to express gratitude.

Raising Hands

Two hands raised in the air are typically used to express success or celebrate joyous news.

Raised Fist

A fist raised in the air is regularly used as a celebratory gesture. Depending on the occasion, it can symbolize resistance, defiance, pride, power, or solidarity.

Nail Polish

While you can always use this emoji after a nail appointment, the Nail Polish emoji has taken on a more sassy meaning. You can use it to express that you’re unbothered, nonchalant, or indifferent, and want it to be known.

Flexed Biceps

Besides the somewhat obvious meaning of working out, you can use the Flexed Biceps emoji to indicate strength and endurance. It’s a perfect show of support when your loved one has accomplished something challenging or worked hard to achieve a goal.

An Emoji Is Worth a Thousand Words

Thanks to the abundance of cute and lively emojis, it’s hard to imagine there was ever a time they weren’t a part of the conversation. Now that you’re familiar with the meanings of the most important and helpful emojis, you can express your true feelings on every occasion, using few to no words.

What is your favorite emoji? Has the meaning of an emoji from our list surprised you? Let us know in the comments section below.