I’ve often seen the people use the text string O_o online. From what I can gather, it’s some sort of emoticon, but clueless sort that I am, I haven’t been able to figure out what it actually means. So I turn to the SDMB: what does it mean? “Overturned bicycle”? “Tennis or ping-pong”? Or is it a secret Masonic symbol?
I’ve always interpreted it as carying a “hairy eyeball” kind of meaning. Something like the :dubious: only with some annoyed 
thrown in.
There have been at least two threads in the last month or so on this topic, here’s one.
O_o has always seemed like a “the mind boggles” or :dubious look to me.
Quickly jumping onto this thread’s coattails…
So what does “<3” mean? I’ve seen it used (once) here on the SDMB, but more often in other places.
The context was something like: Nice job, pilot141!!! <3 pilot141. (Note: the compliments were not actually directed at me, I’m just using my name as an example).
So I take that it means some sort of compliment, but I can’t seem to figure out what “<3” is supposed to visually represent.
Anyone know?
I believe it’s a heart. A heart that fell on its side?
That’s pretty much it.
Annoyance is more -- (narrowed eyes) or >< (crossed eyes)
Others
;_; Tears
O_O Eek!
^.^ Smile (I use ^__^)
^~ ~^ Wink (I use ^__~)
^o^ Oops!
^o^/ Yay!
Yes. It’s a heart. I use it on my phone all the time.
Thanks for the replies!
Yes, thanks to everyone for this impromptu seminar on Internet lingo.
<3 is definitely a heart. As in, “I <3 pilot141”
See, now that you tell me what it means you start teasing me!
::Glances around…CRAP! GQ!::
Ahem…yes, well…that was a great example of using the previously discussed “emoticon” in an appropriate phrase, monica. Thank you for helping to fight ignorance today!
For some reason O_o annoys the heck out of me. :dubious:
BTW, that is pronounced “heart” not “love.” Yes, heart has officially become a verb. Oh and <z3 is a broken heart. It looks pretty convincing in some fonts.
gum, I agree, and I also hate XD. Once you see it, it’s like a 
with squinty eyes, but I always see “eks-dee” first and have to force myself to “see it.” Usually I just remember that X.D. stands for intense laughter (eXtreme Delight?)
The effort that people have put into creating these text emoticons is quite amazing; two of my favourites:
@@@8^)
(_8^(1)
(Homer and Marge Simpson
Yep, and if you <3 someone, how about giving them a
-’-,-’-,-<@
hehehe, Yeah. They’re nice, Mangetout Very inventive.
When I see another O_o for the umpteenth time however, [see GD] I wanna give the poster some O.Os, though.
Once again, The Onion Horoscopes contains an appropriate reference:
Aries: (March 21—April 19)
You will soon be forced to admit that your entire emotional range can be conveyed with a set of cleverly arranged punctuation marks.
I find it interesting that most of those seem to have been inspired by Japanese cartoons.
Did a lot of these originate from Asia? I think I remember when they first became popular, I mostly saw them on Asian online communities/sites.
Yeah, some of them are very similar to Japanese animation conventions. Especially and O_O