emoji
Digital expressive symbol
An emoji is a small digital image used in electronic communication to convey emotion, tone, or meaning—a smiley face, a thumbs up, a heart.
The term comes from Japanese for "picture character." Unlike emoticons made from punctuation :), emojis are standardized graphics built into keyboards and platforms.
They range from facial expressions to animals, foods, flags, and abstract symbols: She responded with three crying-laughing emojis.
Plural: emoji or emojis.
Digital cheerful expression
- stickerAdhesive-backed paper or plastic
- reactionResponse to stimulus
- GIFAnimated image format
- keyboardArray of input keys
character · shortcode · skin tone · picker · autocomplete · suggestion · slack · discord
Symbol using visual likeness
- iconPictorial screen symbol
- glyphVisual form of character
- ideogramSymbol representing concept directly
- faceHead's anterior surface
symbol · yellow · expression · cartoon · illustration · graphic · avatar · representation
Quality of sound
- intentPlanned purpose
- sarcasmIrony used to mock
- ironyMeaning opposite to words
- flirtationPlayful romantic attention
emphasis · softening · punctuation · clarification · mood · nuance · misinterpretation · ambiguity
Typed expression indicators
- heartsCirculatory system engines
- animalsMulticellular mobile organisms
- foodConsumable nourishment source
- flagsSymbolic national cloths
objects · activities · travel · nature · gestures · hands · faces · plants
Purple edible nightshade fruit
- peachFuzzy stone fruit
- skullHead's bone casing
- fireCombustion with flames
- clownComedic performer in makeup
hundred · prayer hands · folded hands · red envelope · shrimp · dumpling · fortune cookie · sake
smiley
Digital cheerful expression
keyboard · character · shortcode · skin tone · picker · autocomplete · suggestion · slack · discord · WhatsApp
pictogram
Symbol using visual likeness
- iconPictorial screen symbol
- glyphVisual form of character
- ideogramSymbol representing concept directly
face · symbol · yellow · expression · cartoon · illustration · graphic · avatar · representation · image
tone
Quality of sound
flirtation · emphasis · softening · punctuation · clarification · mood · nuance · misinterpretation · ambiguity · subtext
smileys
Typed expression indicators
- heartsCirculatory system engines
- animalsMulticellular mobile organisms
- foodConsumable nourishment source
flags · objects · activities · travel · nature · gestures · hands · faces · plants · weather
eggplant
Purple edible nightshade fruit
clown · hundred · prayer hands · folded hands · red envelope · shrimp · dumpling · fortune cookie · sake · bento
- visual communicationpainting, drawing, sculpture, photography, graphic design
- Digital Ageapp, blog, hashtag, meme, selfie
- graphicsvector, shapes, 3D graphics, raster, symbols
- Japanese culturesamurai, kabuki, sumo, origami, tea ceremony
- Japanese wordsanime, bento, bonsai, futon, geisha
- social mediaposts, post, influencer status, followers, tweet
emojiplain text
Unencoded readable characters
typed letters · prose · typography · words · written language
Professional written exchanges
legal language · technical writing · official documentation · professional writing · professional language
- poop emojiCartoon feces icon
- heart emojiRomantic messaging icon
- skull emojiCranium pictograph for texts
- thumbs up emoji
- fire emojiPictograph indicating heat or excitement
- sad emoji