Emoji Meanings
Decode the real meaning of every emoji โ including the slang, the subtext, and the Gen Z reinterpretation. Browse by emotion or jump straight to the controversial ones below ๐
Looking for a specific emoji?
Search by natural-language description โ works in any language.
Open searchBrowse by emotion
The 12 most-searched emoji moods. Click any to read the full meaning page.
Slang & hidden meanings
Some of the most-used emojis don't mean what you think โ here's the second layer.
Browse by category
Every Unicode-standard emoji organized by official group.
Heart emoji color meanings
Every heart color carries a different meaning โ from โค๏ธ classic love to ๐ค grief, ๐ฉท platonic affection, ๐ trust.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'emoji meaning' mean?
Each emoji has an official Unicode definition (its 'literal' meaning) and a culturally-evolved usage (the slang, the irony, the subtext). The 'meaning' people search for is usually the second one โ what people are actually trying to say when they send it.
Why does an emoji's meaning change over time?
Platforms re-render emoji art, and online communities (especially TikTok) repurpose existing emojis for new ideas โ that's how ๐ stopped being just a vegetable and ๐ became laughter, not death.
Do emoji look the same on every platform?
No. Each platform (Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft, Twitter/X, WhatsApp) ships its own emoji font. The same Unicode codepoint can look noticeably different โ sometimes enough to change the perceived emotion.
Why do Gen Z and millennials use emojis differently?
Millennials lean on emojis at their literal face-value (๐ = laughing). Gen Z layers irony and second-degree meaning (๐ = funny, ๐ = silently dying inside, ๐ฅฒ = bittersweet). Knowing both layers prevents miscommunication.
How do I find an emoji when I only know the meaning?
Use the search bar on the homepage โ describe what you want in plain English (or any language) and the AI returns the best match. Faster than scrolling through 3,600+ entries.
How many emojis are there in total?
The Unicode 17.0 release brings the total to 3,953 emoji codepoints (3,654 fully-qualified, the rest are component / skin-tone modifiers). Our dictionary covers every fully-qualified entry.