# Emoticon \<3

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 23, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730 "2007-10-23T17:57:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/21 "2007-10-24T00:58:01Z")

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(.) (.)

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**Author:** ![H3Knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@H3Knuckles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H3Knuckles)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/22 "2007-10-24T01:25:12Z")

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[QUOTE=AudreyK]

\</3 = castration?  
[/QUOTE]

\</3 either means heartbroken, or heartbreaker, depending on how it’s used (context).

\>:3 Is supposed to represent “ooh, I’m evil,” like the devil smilies you see from time to time. Think of it as a stooping brow and up-curled mustache.

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**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/23 "2007-10-24T01:28:14Z")

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[QUOTE=H3Knuckles]  
\</3 either means heartbroken, or heartbreaker, depending on how it’s used (context).  
[/QUOTE]

I know. I mean for all the people who think \<3 is testicles.

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**Author:** ![H3Knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@H3Knuckles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H3Knuckles)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/24 "2007-10-24T01:31:48Z")

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Heh, missed the edit window.  
**Kytheria** , do you mean " \>:3 "? It’s supposed to represent “ooh, I’m evil,” like the devil smilies you see from time to time. Think of it as a stooping brow and curled-up mustache.

I never really hung on on the chat rooms, and I’ve picked up a lot of these through exposure. I like the ^_^ (happy), @_@ (confused or overwhelmed), ^_^; (nervous, self-conscious), \>_\< (frustrated), & T\_T (crying) types, which mostly seem to be common among anime enthusiasts.

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**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/25 "2007-10-24T01:34:21Z")

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I always thought it meant “Ass Hat”. \<=the hat and 3=ass (turned sideways)

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**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/26 "2007-10-24T02:11:57Z")

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[QUOTE=H3Knuckles]  
**Kytheria** , do you mean " \>:3 "? It’s supposed to represent “ooh, I’m evil,” like the devil smilies you see from time to time. Think of it as a stooping brow and curled-up mustache.  
[/QUOTE]  
I’ve always seen a more anime/manga influence on that particular one. It’s almost exactly like a common expression used to denote mischievousness, which is pretty much the same as “ooh, I’m evil.” ([Bad example](http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2006/07/14/anime-character-expressions-the-roundup/), but for the life of me I can’t find better.)

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**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/27 "2007-10-24T02:34:05Z")

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[QUOTE=askeptic]  
I always thought it meant “Ass Hat”. \<=the hat and 3=ass (turned sideways)  
[/QUOTE]

That was always my impression, too. It means asshat.

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**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/28 "2007-10-24T03:07:54Z")

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~(8(|)  
Homer Simpson

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**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/29 "2007-10-24T03:31:51Z")

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I always thought it was a fart…

I wondered why so many of my friends and family liked farting at me…

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**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/30 "2007-10-24T03:43:41Z")

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I always liked this for mooning:

(_._)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/31 "2007-10-24T04:55:09Z")

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[QUOTE=Runs With Scissors]  
I always liked this for mooning:

(_._)  
[/QUOTE]

That’s very close to the Japanese emoticon for bowing: m(_-_)m

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/32 "2007-10-24T04:58:31Z")

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My turn

( Y ) Boobs  
)\_\_\_\_\_)))\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_) ~~~~~ Cigarette

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/33 "2007-10-24T05:35:15Z")

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(\>°-°)\> … (\>`o´)\>

I know a few who enjoy making Kirby’s in their IM messages.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/34 "2007-10-24T23:53:10Z")

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I am the leet threadkiller!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/35 "2007-10-25T01:22:52Z")

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…l.,

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/36 "2007-10-25T01:43:03Z")

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Are not.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/37 "2007-10-25T02:18:19Z")

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@}–,–`-- (a rose)

=^.^= (kitty!)

(\> ")\> \<( "\<) (^ ")\> (the Kirby dance!)

@^\_^@ Ross Perot! (Or George W. Bush)

I translate “XD” as 😃 or “having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have”.

I also use “XP” as “teehee, I’m a baaaad girl” (which is why the Windows OS always gives me cognitive dissonance).

“X3” is, loosely, “I know something you don’t know”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/38 "2007-10-25T02:48:43Z")

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One of my favorite Dave Barry gags was something like:

😮 ///////\

Which he translated as “someone vomiting a series of Slim Jims.”

What is the Kirby dance?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/39 "2007-10-25T03:44:14Z")

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\<zzzzz\>

\<zzzz#~

\<zzz#~~

🆒

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emoticon-3/423730/40 "2007-10-25T06:23:57Z")

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```auto

         _ _ /|
         \'o.O'
         =(___)=
            U
            ACK!

```

I know, it’s ASCII art and not a true emoticon. But I had to drag out Bill The Cat for a token appearance.

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