Raising What does each emoji mean? Kids' emoji meanings, explained for parents
Emoji meanings in kids' texts often differ from the picture. According to Emojipedia, 💀 usually means "I'm dying" of laughter, 😭 shows any overwhelming feeling, including laughter, 🧢 means "that's a lie," and 🗿 is a deadpan, stony face. Below are the emojis kids use most and what they mean, each with its source. This guide leaves out emojis with sexual meanings.
Emoji meanings at a glance
| Source | Emojipedia, the emoji reference site source |
|---|---|
| Most used of 2025 | 😭 Loudly Crying Face, per Google keyboard data cited by Emojipedia source |
| Rising | 🗿 Moai, up from 482nd most used in 2021 to 33rd in 2025 source |
| Not included | Emojis with sexual meanings |
Checked October 2026. Slang changes fast; meanings can differ between groups of kids.
Laughing emojis: 😂 😭 💀
- 😂 Face with Tears of Joy: something is funny. Emojipedia says it was the most used emoji on all platforms from 2011 to 2021.
- 😭 Loudly Crying Face: often exaggerated, for "overwhelming emotion, including laughter, joy, affection," as well as frustration or real sadness. Emojipedia reports it was the world's most used emoji of 2025, based on Google keyboard data.
- 💀 Skull: "figurative death," Emojipedia says: dying of laughter, frustration, or affection. "I'm dead 💀" means "that's so funny."
Approval emojis: 🔥 💯 👍 🐐
- 🔥 Fire: something is impressive or excellent, like the slang "fire" or "lit." On Snapchat, 🔥 next to a friend's name marks a streak of messaging on consecutive days.
- 💯 Hundred Points: shorthand for 100%: "keep it real," pride, or general acceptance of an idea. On Snapchat, 💯 next to 🔥 marks a 100-day streak.
- 👍 Thumbs Up: approval, but Emojipedia notes it can read as passive-aggressive or sarcastic in some contexts.
- 🐐 Goat: shorthand for "GOAT," the greatest of all time. See our GOAT guide.
Attitude emojis: 🗿 💅 🙄 🙃 🫠 🤦
- 🗿 Moai: a stoic, deadpan, or silly face. Emojipedia says it's often used for "sigma" memes. See sigma.
- 💅 Nail Polish: confidence, sass, or nonchalance.
- 🙄 Face with Rolling Eyes: annoyance, boredom, or "yeah, whatever."
- 🙃 Upside-Down Face: irony, sarcasm, or "oh well."
- 🫠 Melting Face: embarrassment, dread, or feeling overwhelmed.
- 🤦 Person Facepalming: frustration or secondhand embarrassment ("cringe").
Slang emojis: 🧢 🤡 ✨ 🙏
- 🧢 Billed Cap: "cap," meaning a lie. A lone 🧢 means "that's a lie"; "no 🧢" means "no lie." See our cap guide.
- 🤡 Clown Face: silliness, or a put-down: someone acted foolishly. Kids also use it about themselves.
- ✨ Sparkles: excitement or something new; around words, ✨like this✨, it adds emphasis or sarcasm.
- 🙏 Folded Hands: "please" or "thank you," or prayer.
Is an emoji ever rude?
Short answer: Some can be. Emojipedia lists 🤡 as a way to mock someone and notes that 👍 can read as passive-aggressive. Several emojis also have sexual meanings, which this guide doesn't cover. The same emoji can mean different things in different friend groups.
Try tonight: emoji check-in
At bedtime, ask your child to pick one emoji for their day and tell you why. Then you pick yours. In our program, this is the lesson "Weather Inside": naming what you feel.
FAQ
What does 💀 mean in a text?
Usually "I'm dying of laughter." Emojipedia says it expresses figurative death, from extreme laughter, frustration, or affection.
What does 😭 mean?
Any overwhelming feeling. It's often used for laughing hard, not only for crying.
What does 🗿 mean?
A deadpan, stony, or silly face; Emojipedia says it's often used in "sigma" memes.
What does 🧢 mean?
"Cap," slang for a lie. "No 🧢" means "no lie."
Related
Cap / No cap
What kids mean by "cap" and "no cap," and where it came from.
GOAT
What "GOAT" and "goated" mean, and where the word came from.
Sigma
Why kids call each other "sigma," and where the word really comes from.
"..." in texts
What three dots mean in a text, according to dictionaries.
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Read next →Raising Stoics is a 12-week program for ages 5–6, built on Stoic philosophy and developmental psychology. One lesson is "Weather Inside": naming what you feel.