What are text emoticons?

Text emoticons are facial expressions created using keyboard characters like :) for happy, :( for sad, and ;) for winking. Unlike emoji, emoticons use only standard ASCII characters and work universally across all platforms and devices.

What's the difference between emoticons and emojis?

Emoticons are text-based faces made from keyboard characters (like :D), while emojis are actual pictographic images (like 😃). Emoticons were created in the 1980s using ASCII characters, whereas emojis are Unicode-based graphical symbols introduced later.

How do I copy emoticons from Emoticon.io?

Simply click on any emoticon in our collection to instantly copy it to your clipboard. You can then paste it anywhere - in messages, emails, social media posts, or documents. No special software or fonts required!

Do emoticons work on all devices and platforms?

Yes! Text emoticons work universally because they use standard keyboard characters. Unlike emojis which may display differently across devices, emoticons like :) look the same everywhere - on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and in any app or website.

Can I create custom emoticons?

Absolutely! Emoticons are just creative combinations of keyboard characters. You can create your own by experimenting with different punctuation marks, letters, and symbols. Popular custom emoticons include ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ for shrugging and (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ for table flipping.

Kaomoji - Japanese Emoticons (◕‿◕)

What are Kaomoji?

Kaomoji (顔文字) literally translates to “face characters” in Japanese, from “kao” (顔, face) and “moji” (文字, character). They are a form of text-based emoticon that originated in Japan during the 1980s, predating modern emoji by decades.

Unlike Western emoticons such as :-) which are read sideways, kaomoji are designed to be read face-on, just as you would look at a real face. This allows for much more complex and expressive designs, incorporating characters from multiple writing systems including Japanese katakana, Cyrillic, Thai, Kannada, and mathematical symbols.

Kaomoji became popular through Japanese internet forums and text messaging in the 1990s and 2000s. As Unicode support expanded globally, kaomoji spread to Western internet culture. Today they are used worldwide on social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, and forums.

Some kaomoji have become so iconic they have transcended their origins — the shrug ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ was even added as an official Unicode emoji, and the look of disapproval ಠ_ಠ (using Kannada script) has become a staple of internet culture.

Kaomoji vs Emoji vs Emoticons

Kaomoji

(◕‿◕)

Japanese text faces read face-on. Made from Unicode characters. Work everywhere as plain text. More expressive and creative than Western emoticons.

Emoji

😊

Small images built into operating systems. Appearance varies between devices. Requires Unicode support. First created in Japan in 1999 for mobile phones.

Emoticons

:-)

Western text faces read sideways. Made from basic ASCII characters. The simplest form of text-based expression, dating back to 1982.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a kaomoji?

Kaomoji (顔文字) are Japanese emoticons made from Unicode text characters. Unlike Western emoticons like :) that are read sideways, kaomoji are read face-on. The word comes from the Japanese words "kao" (face) and "moji" (character). They originated in Japan in the 1980s and have since spread worldwide through internet culture.

How do I use kaomoji?

Simply click any kaomoji on this page to copy it to your clipboard, then paste it anywhere — text messages, social media posts, emails, Discord, forums, or any app that supports text. Kaomoji work everywhere because they use standard Unicode characters, no special software needed.

What is the difference between kaomoji and emoji?

Kaomoji are made entirely from text characters (letters, punctuation, and Unicode symbols) and can be typed or pasted as plain text. Emoji are small images or icons built into your device's operating system. Kaomoji work on any platform that supports text, while emoji appearance varies between devices and some older systems may not display newer emoji.

What is the most popular kaomoji?

The most widely used kaomoji include ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (shrug), ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) (Lenny face), (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ (table flip), and ಠ_ಠ (look of disapproval). The shrug kaomoji in particular has become so popular it was adopted as an official emoji character.

Can I use kaomoji on iPhone and Android?

Yes! Kaomoji work on all devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Since they are made from standard text characters, they display correctly on any device. Both iOS and Android even have built-in kaomoji keyboards — on iPhone, tap the smiley face icon on your keyboard and look for the ^_^ section.