What Do All the Smiley Face Emojis Mean?

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Decode the nuances of these tiny, friendly faces
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The 😀 (smiley face) emoji seems pretty straightforward—just look at the grin on that little face! But what about 😆? Or 😊? And what the heck is the 🙃 ( upside down face ) emoji trying to say? If you’re curious about the subtle differences between these faces, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll show you what 12 popular smileys mean, how to react to them, and where the first smiley face even came from. Let’s take a look!

Things You Should Know

  • The 😀 (grinning), 😃 (smiley), 😄 (smile), 😁 (grin) emojis all represent joy and positive feelings (from least to most happy).
  • Laughing smileys like 😆 (laughing), 😂 (joy), and 🤣 (rolling on the floor laughing) convey genuine laughter when something’s funny.
  • The 🙃 (upside down face) and 🙂 (slightly smiling face) are usually used to show sarcasm, silliness, or irony.
Section 1 of 3:

Smiley Face Meanings & Uses

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  1. Think of this as your everyday, average smile—the kind you might put on when you wake up and notice the weather’s nice, or when you feel content after a long but productive day. Send this when you’re feeling happy about anything, but not quite ecstatic or laughing about it. [1]
    • Also known as: grinning face
    • “Looking forward to dinner later! 😀”
    • “Just met my new neighbors, they seem nice 😀”
  2. This little face has larger eyes than the 😀 (grinning) emoji, making it look more animated. Send this emoji when you’re pleasantly surprised or eagerly waiting for something fun to happen (like meeting up with a good friend or even a crush).
    • Also known as: grinning face with big eyes
    • “Looking forward to seeing you later 😃”
    • “Turns out I owe less in taxes than I thought I would! 😃”
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  3. This emoji looks extra kind because of its “smiling eyes” (picture someone beaming so wide that their eyes look nearly closed). Use this emoji when you’re texting about something that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, or when you’re enthusiastically agreeing with or complimenting someone.
    • Also known as: grinning face with smiling eyes, happy face, smiley face
    • “My girlfriend adopted a new kitten and honestly…I’m obsessed 😄”
    • “Thank you for cutting my hair on such short notice! You’re the best 😄”
  4. This little face’s toothy smile and squinty eyes resemble the face you might make when you’re messing with a friend (jokingly, of course!). Send it when you’re being playful or even a bit flirty over text, or even to express genuine excitement or enjoyment, too.
    • Also known as: beaming face with smiley eyes, cheesy face
    • “I promise to make a normal face in my yearbook photo this time 😁”
    • Them: “Did you put confetti in my bed!?”
      You: “Me?? I would never! 😁”
  5. Imagine slipping on some ice but catching yourself right before you fall—you might let out a quick, involuntary giggle to yourself to express your relief. This emoji sums up that “phew!” feeling perfectly (including a bead of nervous sweat on the forehead). Use it whenever you get away with something or make a deadline at the very last second. [2]
    • Also known as: phew emoji, grinning face with sweat, relief emoji
    • “This storm is no joke! I made it inside just before the downpour started 😅”
    • “Phew! I almost sent a text about crushing on Jenny to Jenny…caught it at the last second 😅”
  6. This smiley has the same big smile as the 😄 (smile) emoji, but with eyes squinted shut with laughter. Send this whenever something cracks you up or makes you laugh out loud, or put it at the end of a joke so the reader knows you’re being silly (tone can be hard to interpret over text sometimes).
    • Also known as: grinning squinting face emoji
    • “I just saw some guy riding a Segway in a birthday hat and it killed me 😆”
    • Them: “Ugh, I’m so tired of playing the Hallelujah Chorus every year!”
      You: “What’s the matter? Can’t you Handel it? 😆”
  7. Remember the slang word “ROFL” from the old days of texting? It doesn’t pop up much anymore, partially because this rolled over, guffawing emoji with tears of laughter sends the message so much better. Use this when you’re dying laughing—like, clutching-your-sides-and-crying laughing. [3]
    • Also known as: tilted laughter
    • “You were so freaking funny at the comedy showcase last night!! 🤣”
    • “🤣 I’m remembering the time you accidentally poured your own beer into your eye and laughing all over again”
  8. This emoji falls somewhere between 😆 (laughing) and 🤣 (rolling on the floor laughing). You’re definitely cracking up, but not quite wheezing or rolling on the floor. Use this any time you find something really funny or need to dab your eyes dry after a hearty guffaw.
    • Also known as: face with tears of joy, haha emoji
    • “Omg, my dog keeps trying to bring in a stick that’s too big for the doorway and I can’t stop laughing 😂”
    • “Remember when you lost that bet and I got to pie you in the face? 😂”
  9. Sometimes, this smiley is genuine when something’s positive but not really amusing (like if the phrase “hm, that’s nice” was a face). Most of the time, it’s used to be condescending, ironic, or even a little passive-aggressive. Use it to convey you’re being sarcastic or covering up negative feelings. [4]
    • Also known as: ironic smile, pain behind the smile
    • “I just remembered I have a physics test tomorrow that I haven't studied for. Fantastic! 🙂”
    • Them: “Hey, can you watch my dog again tomorrow? Sorry I forgot to ask sooner.”
      You: : “Sure, not a problem. I can change my schedule 🙂”
  10. This emoji has a similar meaning to 🙂 (slightly smiling face), but without the biting undertone. Use it to express lighthearted sarcasm or to show that you’re putting on a smile over less-than-happy feelings (like if you’re just trying to make it to the end of a hard day).
    • Also known as: sarcasm, silly
    • “We’ve been driving for 8 hours straight. We just might arrive before I die 🙃”
    • “I accidentally put my leftover pizza in the trash instead of the fridge 🙃 My brain is fine!”
  11. Send a 😉 (wink) to flirt over text or signal an inside joke. Even though the main focus of this emoji is the winking eye, the slight smile shows that this winky face’s intentions are good. Use it when you’re making a joke or wholesome innuendo with a crush ( use other emojis for the dirty stuff ), or when you’re acknowledging an inside reference with someone you know.
    • Also known as: winky face
    • “That sweater looks cozy. A hug from me might be cozier though 😉”
    • Them: “Can you bring soda to the party? My older brother’s out of town and can’t buy it for us.”
      You: “Ah yes, the soda 😉 Yeah, I can get my hands on some.”
  12. This emoji has a giant grin, rosy cheeks, and squinty eyes—picture the smile you might make after your crush tells you they like you, or when you get recognized for a big achievement in front of a large crowd. Send this whenever you’re overwhelmed with positive feelings that make you smile and blush (rather than laugh). [5]
    • Also known as: happy, blush face
    • “I’m employee of the month! 😊 I’ve been waiting forever for this, haha”
    • Them: “Amazing pic! You look beautiful.”
      You: “Oh stop it! 😊”
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Section 2 of 3:

Replying to Smiley Faces

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  1. Be genuine and positive when you’re replying to a smiley face message . Take the 😀, 😃, 😄, 😁, and 😅 emojis fairly literally—the person sending them is probably happy or smiling about whatever’s in their message. Reply with another smiley, send a silly GIF or photo to match the mood, or follow up with your honest reaction or joyous feelings.
    • Them: “I can’t wait for spring break!! 😄”
      You: “Me too! 😃 I need to get out of the Midwest NOW lol”
    • Them: “Our planning session was so quick! This is gonna be a great gala 😀”
      You: “Agreed! I’m glad we get to work together on it.”
  2. If they sent a laughing smiley in response to something you said, pat yourself on the back for a joke well done and carry on the conversation casually—no need to reply with anything special. If they include it in a message of theirs, they probably think whatever they sent is hilarious, so reply with another laughing smiley, a big LOL, or whatever your humorous gut reaction is.
    • You: “I’ll be ready to leave faster than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking competition.”
      Them: “🤣🤣🤣”
      You: “What should I bring?”
    • Them: “Look at this TikTok!! I’m dying 😂”
      You: “LMAO I relate to this 😆”
  3. If the person uses either emoji in a negative or dry message, chances are they’re trying to convey some irony or misfortune (and maybe a little humor). A 🙃 emoji is more jokey, while 🙂 could indicate the person is irritated in some way. Respond with an encouraging text to lift their spirits, unless you feel the 🙃 emoji’s ire is directed at you (in that case, you may need to get off their nerves instead).
    • Them: “To top off this perfect day, I think I just stubbed and broke my pinky toe. Perfect! 🙃”
      You: “Oh no! Let me know if there’s anything I can do. I bet you don’t want to walk around doing errands now, haha”
    • You: “Can I borrow your nice camera again?”
      Them: “Fine. Just don’t drop it again 🙂”
      You: “Are you sure? I could ask someone else!”
  4. If a good pal or family member sends you one of these, assume they’re genuinely blushing because they’re happy or winking to be friendly or joke with you—respond in any way that makes sense to you based on your relationship. If one of these emojis comes from a crush or acquaintance, there’s a chance they’re flirting with you—reply with something witty, funny, or charming to keep them interested!
    • Them: “Nice job on your science quiz grade! Proud of ya 😉”
      You: “Thanks dad!”
    • Them: “You were amazing at karaoke last night 😊”
      You: “Oh, were you watching? I didn’t notice 😉”
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Section 3 of 3:

Smiley Face Emoji History

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  1. On September 19, 1982, Carnegie Mellon professor Dr. Scott Fahlman introduced the first emoticon on an electronic bulletin board (like a precursor to modern Internet forums) to help readers recognize sarcasm and jokes. He proposed :-) to signal lighthearted, fun things and :-( to signal serious, negative statements. [6]
    • On September 19 each year, Dr. Fahlman hands out smiley face cookies on campus at Carnegie Mellon University to celebrate the smiley’s birthday.
    • Dr. Fahlman is sometimes referred to as “the father of the emoticon.”
  2. This is when the Unicode Standard was introduced. The Unicode Standard is an information technology standard for text characters (like emojis) so they can be displayed across different technologies. Unicode 1.1 included 2 smiley emojis: ☺ (white smiling face) and ☻ (black smiling face). [7]
    • In 2015, ☺ became the 😊 emoji.
    • The old school black and white smileys don’t show up very often these days, but some people like to use them to add a retro touch to their messages.
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      • Remember that emojis are meant to be lighthearted and fun! Don’t stress too much about interpreting the specific meaning. If you’re not sure what the sender means, it’s OK to ask for clarification.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.emojiall.com/en/emoji/%F0%9F%98%80
      2. ↑ ​​ https://emojipedia.org/grinning-face-with-sweat/
      3. ↑ https://www.scienceofpeople.com/emojis/
      4. ↑ https://emojipedia.org/slightly-smiling-face/
      5. ↑ https://emojipedia.org/smiling-face-with-smiling-eyes/
      6. ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/emoji-were-invented-33-years-ago-heres-why-theyre-so-crucial-today-2015-9
      7. ↑ https://symbl.cc/en/263A/

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