E-Paper
World Emoji Day :Here's your Gen Z's guide for emojis
From a fairy emoji now used to express sass to a crying emoji here's the world of emoticons redefined for you by Gen Z! Take a look
From a smiling face that spells trouble to a skull that now signals laughter, Gen Z has rewritten the emotional dictionary of our favorite emojis
Originally meant to express affection… It now does almost the opposite job. Gen Z uses it to soften a harsh critique or mock someone outright, all while keeping up a fake-sweet, overly dramatic persona. "Better luck next time 🥰" sent after someone bombs a presentation is not encouragement, it is a verbal pat on the head with a blade hidden underneath.
Originally meant to express crying… But now, this might be the most flexible emoji in the entire keyboard, used for every situation except actual crying. Too funny of a joke? Crying. Just saw a cute puppy? Awww… Crying. Lost your shoes for the third time this week? You guessed it…Crying. One face, infinite meanings, zero relation to actual tears.
Originally meaning a tiny pinch of something... It's now the internet's applause emoji for a savage hot take, better known as "clock it." It also doubles as a warning sign, dropped when someone is this close to crashing out over something that has finally pushed them too far.
Originally a smiley face…This emoji has become code for passive-aggression, a polite little mask worn over something that is very clearly not okay.A boyfriend shows up forty minutes late and gets "it's fine 🙂" in reply. It has never once been fine, and he will soon find that out.
Originally used to represent figurative death… The skull runs the comedy desk now, on the logic that nothing is truly funny unless it is, figuratively, deadly. A friend tripping in front of their crush and attempting a smooth recovery spin will always outperform actual breaking news in the replies. In short, this is simply the new "I'm dead," minus the outdated tears.
Originally meant as a signal for a phone call…Now, nobody sending this is picking up a phone. A promotion announcement gets 🤙🏽. A breakup announcement also gets 🤙🏽. It has become the internet's all-purpose shrug, a generic "take a chill pill" stamp regardless of what actually happened.
Originally representing magic and whimsy… now "Dude, he's just not into you 🧚🏼" reads like a compliment for about three seconds, right up until it registers. In general, this emoji is used to soften harsh or shady statements by wrapping them in something sweet and magical, making the blow land a little gentler.
Originally used to literally announce a pregnancy…Now it has nothing to do with actual pregnancy at all. A good photo goes up, the comments fill with this emoji, and everyone understands it means "you look unfairly good," no maternity ward involved. It now exists purely as a dramatic, hyperbolic compliment on someone's looks.
Originally used to represent the activity of painting nails… It is now the internet's mic drop. "Not doing that 💅🏼" has ended more group chat arguments than any actual counterargument in recorded history. Generally, it signals sass, confidence, and being completely unbothered, dropped at the end of a statement to shut a conversation down for good.
Originally representing a flashing camera… this emoji now means "caught you," submitted as evidence whenever someone is caught being incriminating, hypocritical, or painfully cringe. Someone posts "I never lie" directly under a screenshot proving otherwise, and the comments fill with this emoji within minutes.
Originally representing the monolithic statues found on Easter Island… this emoji now signals "sigma energy," the internet's term for staying so cool and unbothered that the conversation ends itself.A friend delivers an entire breakup saga across fifteen voice notes. The reply comes back as a single 🗿.
Originally representing a cowboy…now this emoji is used to signal denial or forced optimism, smiling through a situation that is quietly falling apart. Rent is overdue, the commute is stuck in traffic, and you already have fifty new tasks before the office door even opens, yet the honest reply to "how's life?" is still "great, honestly 🤠"
(Written by Mahtab Kaur)
