Not sure what ๐, ๐ or ๐ซ means in a text? Search by word or paste the emoji to see its meaning, how people actually use it, its official Unicode name and code points, when it was released and similar emojis.
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How to use the Emoji Meanings
Type a word such as laughing, love or skull, or paste an emoji from a message into the search box.
Click an emoji in the results to open its meaning card.
Read the meaning and usage: what it officially shows and how people use it in chats.
Check the details: Unicode name, code points, HTML code and the emoji version.
Explore related emojis or press Copy to use the emoji in your own message.
Commonly misunderstood emojis
Many emojis have a literal meaning (what the picture shows) and a social meaning (how people use it). These are the ones that most often cause confusion between friends, family and coworkers.
Emoji
Literal meaning
How it is often used
๐
Skull
"I'm dead", laughing very hard
๐ญ
Loudly crying
Overwhelmed by something funny or cute, not only sadness
๐
Slight smile
Can feel forced or passive-aggressive to some readers
๐
Upside-down face
Irony, "everything is fine" when it is not
๐
Folded hands
Please, thank you, or prayer; sometimes mistaken for a high five
๐ค
Steam from nose
Determination or triumph as much as anger
๐ค
Smiling face with open hands
Usually read as a hug
๐
Goat
GOAT: Greatest Of All Time
๐ง
Salt
Being "salty", bitter or annoyed
๐
Eyes
Curiosity, "I see that", watching drama
Emoji versions and release years
New emojis are approved by the Unicode Consortium and published in numbered emoji versions. Phones and computers need a software update before they can show emojis from newer versions. The years below are when each version was released.
Version data comes from the Unicode emoji data files (emoji-data.txt). Version 1.0 included characters from Unicode 8.0; the earliest emojis were standardized in Unicode 6.0 in 2010.
Tips for using emojis clearly
Add words when it matters. In work messages or with people you do not know well, pair an emoji with a short phrase.
Remember the other device. Very new emojis may show as an empty box on older phones.
Use alt text in posts. Screen readers read out the emoji's name, so a long string of emojis can be tiring to listen to.
Frequently asked questions
What does the ๐ skull emoji mean in texts?
Literally a skull, but in casual chat it usually means "I'm dead" from laughing: something is so funny it "killed" you. It is used much like ๐, especially by younger people. In other contexts it can mean danger, death or Halloween.
What does the ๐ upside-down face mean?
It signals irony, silliness or quiet frustration. People often send it when something is going wrong but they are joking about it, as in "great, my flight is delayed again ๐".
Why do emojis look different on different phones?
Unicode defines each emoji's code point and name, but every company (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung and others) draws its own image. The meaning stays the same, but details like color or expression can differ, so a face may look happier or sadder on another device.
What is an emoji's Unicode name and version?
The Unicode name is the official, permanent name of the character, such as FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY for ๐. The emoji version says when it was added to the official emoji list; for example, Emoji 11.0 was released in 2018. Older phones may not display emojis newer than their software.
Why do some emojis show as a box or two separate pictures?
Your device's fonts do not support that emoji yet. Some emojis are sequences of several characters joined by an invisible zero-width joiner (for example โค๏ธโ๐ฅ is โค๏ธ + ๐ฅ). Devices that do not know the sequence show the parts separately.
Can an emoji mean different things to different people?
Yes. Meanings shift with age group, culture and context. For instance, some people read a lone ๐ as friendly agreement and others as curt, and ๐ is seen as "please", "thank you" or prayer depending on the person. When in doubt, add a few words.
Is this emoji list complete?
No. Unicode lists over 3,700 emojis, including skin tone and gender variations. This dictionary focuses on about 240 of the most-used and most-misunderstood ones; for any other emoji you paste, the tool still shows its code points and version.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.