Emoji first emerged in Japan in the 1990s as a way for people to quickly communicate through visual information. They’ve become mainstream around the world thanks in part to the rise of smartphones and social media platforms.
Emoji first emerged in Japan in the 1990s as a way for people to quickly communicate through visual information. They’ve become mainstream around the world thanks in part to the rise of smartphones and social media platforms.
WeChat-style Emoji Photo:Wechat
But while emoji are familiar to many, the same symbols can have different meanings in different cultures.
China is a case in point. The country is known for generating creative, peculiar internet memes—ones sometimes deployed to subtly mock authorities. People there have also developed a system for using emoji subversively, so that a smiley face can actually convey contempt.
The Chinese use emoji primarily on the nation’s two biggest social media platforms: Weibo, with its 313 million monthly users, and WeChat, with its 700 million. The emoji keyboards in these services offer symbols and a style different than what you’d find in, say, WhatsApp.
Here’s a quick guide:
Smiley face
On the surface: Happiness.
Below the surface: A despising, mocking, and even obnoxious attitude.
Guidance: Don’t use it as an expression to say you’re happy about something. Maybe use these instead, since the muscle movements seem to be smiling genuinely:
Smiley face with a waving hand
On the surface: Goodbye with a smiley face.
Below the surface: “I despise you and really don’t want to talk with you. Please go away.”
Guidance: If you see this emoji, you might want to change the topic, or just keep your mouth shut. If you wish to retaliate sarcastically, consider sending back two waving hands. Or just deploy for a genius goodbye.
Smiling new moon face
On the surface: A moon with a face, hiding in the shadow, according toemojipedia.
Below the surface: Sneaky, creepy, or even “I despise you.”
Guidance: Respond with creepiness of your own, but do it with the bright yellow moon face, staring to its right.
Picking your nose
On the surface: Maybe there’s something in your nose?
Below the surface: “I despise you.” (Yes, it’s a recurring theme.)
Usage: Send a smiley face in response—making clear the feeling is mutual.
Shiba
On the surface: It’s a dog breed from Japan.
Below the surface: “I am just cute and innocent. What are you talking about? I have no idea.” (Also: “I despise you.”)
Usage: We haven’t figured this out yet. Try responding with a shiba. Experiment.
Hopefully the above is useful. At the very least it should make you paranoid when communicating via emoji in China. Elderly people in that country, if they use emoji at all, are prone to (link in Chinese) taking a smiley face at, er, face value. At least you’ll know better now.
