Kaomoji Meaning

How to look up a face

• Copy the kaomoji you received.
• Paste it into the box on this page.
• If the face is in our library, you will see what it means.

Kaomoji are written in many small variations, and our library cannot hold every one. If there is no match, read the face with the clues below. The person who sent it is also the best source; asking “what does that face mean?” is never rude.

Read the eyes first

• ^ ^ or ˘ ˘: happy, content or calm.
• T T, ; ; or ╥ ╥: crying.
• > <: squeezed shut, from joy, pain or embarrassment.
• ¬ ¬: side-eye, doubtful or teasing.
• ° ° or ⊙ ⊙: wide open, shocked.
• - -: flat, tired or unimpressed.

Then look for clues

• Blush lines like /// on the cheeks mean shy or flustered.
• A semicolon beside the eye is a sweat drop: nervous or awkward.
• Σ in front means a sudden shock.
• ╬ is an angry vein.
• zZ means sleepy.
• Arms show actions: つ reaching or hugging, ﾉ waving, ゞ saluting, b thumbs up.

Faces people often ask about

• n.n: a gentle, closed-eye smile, usually calm or a little shy.
• ^^: a quick happy smile.
• >///<: very flustered or embarrassed, often after a compliment.
• ._.: awkward, quiet or a bit sad.
• -_-: unimpressed or tired.
• :3: a cute, cat-like little smile.

Context matters. The same face can be sweet from a friend and sarcastic in an argument, so read the words around it too.

Why one face can feel different

Kaomoji grew up in Japanese internet culture, and some faces carry a meaning that is not obvious at first. A deep bow can mean sorry or thank you. A face covering its eyes can be crying, shy or peeking. Fonts also change the look: the same face can appear wider, thinner or with shifted eyes on different phones. When a face seems strange, compare it with similar faces in the library, and trust the words the sender wrote around it.

Questions