Text Emoticons
Text emoticons are faces made from keyboard characters, the originals that came before emoji. They are plain text, so they work in usernames, bios and anywhere you type. Tap any emoticon to copy it, and see what each one means.
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Copy any emoticon
Emoticon meanings
| Emoticon | Name | Meaning |
| :) :-) (: | Smiley | The :) emoticon is a happy face, the classic smile. Shows friendliness, agreement or a lighthearted tone. |
| :D :-D xD | Big Grin | The :D emoticon is a wide grin or laughing. XD means laughing hard with eyes squeezed shut. |
| :( :-( ): | Sad | The :( emoticon is a frowning, unhappy face. Shows disappointment or sympathy. |
| ;) ;-) | Wink | The ;) emoticon is a winking face. Signals a joke, flirtation or a knowing hint. |
| :P :-P :p | Tongue Out | The :P emoticon is sticking the tongue out. Playful, cheeky or joking. |
| :'( :'-( T_T | Crying | The :'( emoticon is crying with tears. Shows sadness, or happy tears in context. |
| <3 ♥ <33 | Heart | The <3 emoticon is a sideways heart, meaning love, affection or a like. |
| </3 <\3 | Broken Heart | The </3 emoticon is a broken heart, meaning heartbreak or sadness. |
| :O :-O :o | Surprised | The :O emoticon is a shocked, open-mouthed face. Surprise or disbelief. |
| :| :-| | Straight Face | The :| emoticon is a neutral or unimpressed expression. Indifference or awkwardness. |
| :* :-* | Kiss | The :* emoticon is blowing a kiss. Affection or goodbye. |
| >:( >:-( >_< | Angry | The >:( emoticon is an angry or annoyed face. |
| 8) B) 8-) | Cool | The 8) emoticon is a face with sunglasses. Confident or "cool". |
| :3 =^.^= | Cat Face | The :3 emoticon is a cute cat-like face. Playful, coy or adorable. |
| :/ :-/ :\ | Confused / Unsure | The :/ emoticon is a skeptical or unsure face. Doubt, awkwardness or mild disapproval. |
| ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ | Shrug | The ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ emoticon is the shrug, meaning "I don't know" or "whatever". |
| ^_^ ^^ ^-^ | Happy Eyes | The ^_^ emoticon is smiling with closed happy eyes. Cheerful and cute. |
| -_- -.- | Annoyed | The -_- emoticon is a flat, unamused or tired expression. |
| O_O o_o O.O | Wide Eyes | The O_O emoticon is wide staring eyes. Shock, surprise or "what?". |
| >:) >:-) >:D | Evil Grin | The >:) emoticon is a mischievous or evil grin. Playful scheming. |
FAQ
What are text emoticons?
Text emoticons are faces made from keyboard characters, like :) for a smile or <3 for a heart. They came before emoji and are plain text, so they work in any app, username or bio.
What does :) mean?
The :) emoticon is a smiley face, viewed sideways. It shows happiness, friendliness or a lighthearted, joking tone.
How do I copy an emoticon?
Tap any emoticon on this page to copy it, then paste it into your message, caption or bio with Ctrl+V, Cmd+V, or long-press then Paste on mobile.