Millions of smartphone users are misreading some of the most common emojis in their messaging apps, sending symbols that mean the opposite of what they intend, according to a report by SlashGear. The outlet examined four emojis that are widely used and widely misunderstood, from a face many read as furious to a bowing figure people mistake for a shrug of confusion.
According to SlashGear, the icons look harmless and universal, but each carries a cultural backstory that has been rewritten by internet users. The same small pixelated face, the outlet said, can mean utter sadness to one person and hysterical laughter to another, with neither side realizing they are using it incorrectly.
Triumph emoji
The first emoji on the list has raised eyebrows and two puffs of steam coming from its nostrils. Many people read it as an angry, exasperated exhale, but SlashGear said it is officially the "triumph" emoji, and its real meaning is closer to victory, pride and superiority, the digital equivalent of celebrating a win rather than losing one's temper.
People most often send it, according to the outlet, when a friend leaves a message unanswered for the third time in a week, or when barely functioning wifi pushes them over the edge. In reality, the symbol is meant to depict someone pushing through to success, not someone furiously quitting in a rage.
Still, SlashGear said the internet has long since reinterpreted the emoji in its own way, and the shift makes a certain sense: it is hard to picture steam actually shooting from anyone's nose at the exact moment of victory.
Information desk person emoji
Few people know that this emoji was originally named the "information desk person," even though the desk itself is nowhere to be seen. SlashGear said the tilted arm, cocked head and sheer attitude radiating from the icon mean it is now mostly used to convey sarcastic, exasperated energy, well suited to petty arguments in a chat.
In fact, the small raised hand is meant to represent someone such as a receptionist or help desk worker politely offering assistance. SlashGear said it would be hard to invent a bigger gap between an emoji's intended meaning and how it is actually used, even on purpose.
Sleepy face emoji
Among emojis there is an entire family of icons carrying mysterious blue droplets, and working out what those droplets represent is not always easy: sweat, tears or something else entirely. One of the main sources of that confusion, according to SlashGear, is the sleepy face emoji.
With its half-closed eyes and a blue droplet hovering somewhere between the nose and mouth, it is easy to assume the face is showing irritation, a heavy sigh or a pout, the outlet said.
In reality, SlashGear explained, that droplet is a mucus bubble borrowed directly from Japanese manga and anime, where the same image is well-established shorthand for a character who is sound asleep.
SlashGear noted that this style of sleep bubble in anime dates back as far as 1937, and the convention has persisted ever since, eventually making its way into modern emoji design. Why a bubble of nasal mucus became the symbol of peaceful sleep remains something of a mystery, but the outlet said the association has stuck regardless.
So anyone who sends this emoji to signal they are on the verge of a breakdown will, according to SlashGear, likely just convince the other person that they need a nap, and the outlet suggested that response might not be far from the truth.
Person bowing emoji
If there were a prize for the most misread emoji gesture, SlashGear said this one would win without contest. The range of interpretations attached to it is almost comical: on some platforms the figure's head appears to float above a table, leading people to read it as deep thought, confusion, focused concentration or silent contemplation.
Other common guesses include embarrassment, a facepalm, a massage or even prayer, essentially anything goes, according to the outlet. SlashGear said sending the emoji in a chat is practically a guaranteed way to start an argument over what it means.
Much of the confusion, SlashGear said, comes down to how flat and featureless the emoji looks at first glance, with no visible legs, posture or depth to signal what is actually happening. That is unfortunate, the outlet added, because the true meaning is far richer and rooted in cultural context.
The emoji actually depicts a person bowing, a gesture deeply embedded in Japanese culture that expresses respect, gratitude or a sincere apology. The deeper the bow, the stronger the expression of respect, but reduced to a single head floating in empty space, SlashGear said, that cultural meaning is lost entirely.
SlashGear added that, given there are already two separate emojis for the American flag, the bowing figure could certainly use a clearer version of its own.
