💬 WhatsApp emojis and what they mean
WhatsApp has no emojis of its own. Everything you send there is a Unicode character that your phone draws in its own font. That is why 😂 looks different on an iPhone than on a Samsung, though it means the same thing.
New emojis only appear after an operating system update. Below are the 100 characters that show up most in chats, each with a short meaning.
Faces
- 😂 Face with Tears of Joy The most-sent emoji in the world for years – laughing until you cry.
- 🤣 Rolling on the Floor Laughing Rolling on the floor laughing – the strongest straight-faced laugh emoji.
- 😭 Loudly Crying Face Streaming tears – overwhelmed, from real grief to helpless laughter.
- 😘 Face Blowing a Kiss Blowing a kiss – affection at a distance, from romantic to purely friendly.
- 🥰 Smiling Face with Hearts Surrounded by little hearts – affection, gratitude, being touched by something.
- 😍 Smiling Face with Heart-Eyes Heart eyes – open adoration, for people and for things alike.
- 😊 Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes A soft, closed-mouth smile with warm eyes – gentle and sincere.
- 😁 Beaming Face with Smiling Eyes A slightly awkward, teeth-showing grin – enthusiasm with a hint of self-consciousness.
- 🥺 Pleading Face Big watery eyes – pleading, or overwhelmed by something sweet.
- 😅 Grinning Face with Sweat Relieved laughter after a close call – "that could have gone badly".
- 🙄 Face with Rolling Eyes Rolling the eyes – exasperation, mild contempt, "here we go again".
- 😆 Grinning Squinting Face Laughing hard with eyes squeezed shut – proper amusement, not a polite smile.
- 🤗 Smiling Face with Open Hands A smile with open hands – a hug, thanks, or warm encouragement.
- 😉 Winking Face A wink – shared joke, light flirtation, or "you know what I mean".
- 🤔 Thinking Face Hand on chin – considering something, or pointedly doubting it.
- 🙂 Slightly Smiling Face A small, closed smile – polite on the surface, often loaded underneath.
- 😳 Flushed Face Flushed Face stands for amazed, awkward and crazy in everyday messages.
- 🥳 Partying Face Party hat and horn – celebration, birthdays, milestones.
- 😎 Smiling Face with Sunglasses Sunglasses – confident, relaxed, everything under control.
- 😔 Pensive Face Downcast eyes – quiet sadness, disappointment or regret.
- 😋 Face Savoring Food Licking the lips – delicious, and by extension anything satisfying.
- 😏 Smirking Face A sideways smirk – knowing, suggestive, slightly smug.
- 😢 Crying Face A single tear – genuine sadness, sympathy or disappointment.
- 😩 Weary Face Send Weary Face for crying, face and fail.
- 😃 Grinning Face with Big Eyes A step more excited than 😀 – wide eyes give it real enthusiasm.
- 😡 Enraged Face Red with rage – strong anger, often exaggerated for effect.
- 😜 Winking Face with Tongue A wink with the tongue out – playful teasing, not to be taken seriously.
- 🙈 See-No-Evil Monkey The see-no-evil monkey – covering the eyes in embarrassment.
- 😄 Grinning Face with Smiling Eyes Warm, beaming happiness – the smiling eyes make it feel sincere.
- 🤤 Drooling Face People reach for Drooling Face when the topic is drooling and face.
- 🤪 Zany Face Cross-eyed with tongue out – chaotic, silly, deliberately over the top.
- 😀 Grinning Face The classic open grin – friendly, upbeat and safe to use with almost anyone.
- 😌 Relieved Face Closed eyes, gentle smile – calm, content, at peace with things.
- 🤩 Star-Struck Star-struck – impressed, amazed, blown away.
- 🙃 Upside-Down Face The irony marker – says "I do not mean this literally".
- 😬 Grimacing Face A clenched, gritted grin – awkwardness, tension, "oh no".
- 😱 Face Screaming in Fear Hands on cheeks, mouth open – shock, from real fear to comic panic.
- 😴 Sleeping Face Closed eyes and a 💤 – asleep, or too tired to continue.
- 🤭 Face with Hand Over Mouth A hand covering the mouth – suppressed laughter, or a polite gasp.
- 😐️ Neutral Face Straight mouth, open eyes – no reaction, and that is the message.
- 😒 Unamused Face A sideways glance and a frown – displeased and letting you know.
- 😇 Smiling Face with Halo A halo above a smile – innocence, usually with a wink of guilt behind it.
- 😈 Smiling Face with Horns Send Smiling Face with Horns for demon, devil and evil.
- 🥵 Hot Face Red face, tongue out – overheating, or "extremely attractive".
- 😞 Disappointed Face Send Disappointed Face for awful, blame and dejected.
- 😚 Kissing Face with Closed Eyes Kissing Face with Closed Eyes is one of the affectionate faces and covers 143, bae and blush.
- ☹️ Frowning Face Send Frowning Face for face, frown and frowning.
- 😑 Expressionless Face Flat eyes, flat mouth – unimpressed, done with the conversation.
- 🥴 Woozy Face Woozy Face stands for dizzy, drunk and eyes in everyday messages.
- 🤮 Face Vomiting Face Vomiting is one of the unwell faces and covers barf, ew and face.
- 🤐 Zipper-Mouth Face A zipped mouth – saying nothing, keeping a secret.
- 🥱 Yawning Face A yawn – tired, or bored by what you just said.
- 😧 Anguished Face Anguished Face is commonly used for anguished, face and forgot.
- 🤠 Cowboy Hat Face Send Cowboy Hat Face for cowboy, cowgirl and face.
Hearts
- ❤️ Red Heart The default heart – love, gratitude and support, in that order of frequency.
- 💕 Two Hearts Two hearts, one larger – warmth in motion, mutual affection.
- 💜 Purple Heart Purple Heart is commonly used for 143, bestest and emotion.
- 💖 Sparkling Heart A heart with sparkles – excited affection, a little starry-eyed.
- 💗 Growing Heart Growing Heart is commonly used for 143, emotion and excited.
- 💞 Revolving Hearts People reach for Revolving Hearts when the topic is 143, adorbs and anniversary.
- 💙 Blue Heart A blue heart – calm affection, loyalty, and a common team colour.
- 💓 Beating Heart Beating Heart is commonly used for 143, beating and cardio.
- 💚 Green Heart A green heart – nature and sustainability, or simply the colour green.
- 🖤 Black Heart A black heart – grief, dark humour, or simply an aesthetic choice.
- 💔 Broken Heart A heart split in two – heartbreak, loss, or deep disappointment.
- ❣️ Heart Exclamation Heart Exclamation is commonly used for exclamation, heart and heavy.
- 💋 Kiss Mark Kiss Mark is commonly used for dating, emotion and heart.
Hands and gestures
- 👍 Thumbs up Thumbs up – agreement, or a conversation-ending shrug, depending on age.
- 🙏 Folded Hands Two palms together – thank you, please, or prayer.
- 👏 Clapping Hands Applause – praise, or emphasis between every 👏 single 👏 word.
- 👌 OK Hand Thumb and forefinger circle – fine, correct, understood.
- 💪 Flexed Biceps A flexed arm – strength, effort, encouragement.
- 👉 Backhand Index Pointing Right Backhand Index Pointing Right is commonly used for backhand, finger and hand.
- 🤞 Crossed Fingers Crossed Fingers is one of the partial finger gestures and covers cross, crossed and finger.
- 🙌 Raising Hands Send Raising Hands for celebration, gesture and hand.
- 👇 Backhand Index Pointing Down People reach for Backhand Index Pointing Down when the topic is backhand, down and finger.
- ✌️ Victory Hand Two fingers up – peace, victory, or the standard photo pose.
- 🙋 Person Raising Hand People reach for Person Raising Hand when the topic is gesture, hand and here.
- 🤦 Person Facepalming Person Facepalming is one of the gesturing people and covers again, bewilder and disbelief.
- 🤷 Person Shrugging Person Shrugging is commonly used for doubt, dunno and guess.
Everyday
- 🎉 Party Popper A party popper with confetti – the standard celebration emoji.
- 🔥 Fire Fire – excellent, impressive, "this is hot" in the figurative sense.
- 🎂 Birthday Cake A cake with candles – birthdays, and anniversaries of anything.
- ✨ Sparkles Three sparkles – newness, magic, or ironic emphasis around a word.
- 👀 Eyes A pair of eyes – "I saw that", curiosity, quiet attention.
- 💯 Hundred Points A red 100 – full marks, complete agreement, "exactly this".
- 🌹 Rose Rose stands for beauty, elegant and flower in everyday messages.
- 🎈 Balloon A red balloon – parties, birthdays, celebration.
- 💐 Bouquet Bouquet stands for anniversary, birthday and date in everyday messages.
- 🌞 Sun with Face Sun with Face stands for beach, bright and day in everyday messages.
- ☀️ Sun Sun stands for bright, rays and space in everyday messages.
- 🌸 Cherry Blossom Send Cherry Blossom for blossom, cherry and flower.
- 🎶 Musical Notes Two musical notes – music, songs, singing.
- 🎊 Confetti Ball Send Confetti Ball for ball, celebrate and celebration.
- 🎁 Wrapped Gift A wrapped present – gifts, surprises, and giveaways.
- 💰 Money Bag A bag of money – income, cost, and anything financial.
- 👑 Crown Crown is one of the clothing and covers clothing, family and king.
- 💥 Collision Collision is commonly used for bomb, boom and collide.
- 💀 Skull A skull – today mostly "I am dying of laughter", not danger.
- 💩 Pile of Poo A smiling pile of poo – rubbish, nonsense, or just silly.
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Common questions
Why do WhatsApp emojis look different on Android and iPhone?
WhatsApp sends character codes, not pictures. Apple, Google and Samsung each draw every character their own way. The meaning stays the same, only the look differs.
How do I get new emojis in WhatsApp?
With an operating system update, not a WhatsApp update. If you lack a character, received emojis show as a box or question mark. Which emojis are new is covered on its own page.
What does 🥰 mean on WhatsApp?
Affection and joy. You send it when something touches you or you want to say thanks. It is meant less sappily than it looks.