# Quick Emoticon (?) question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 6, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847 "2004-07-06T21:25:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/1 "2004-07-06T21:25:27Z")

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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?

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**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/2 "2004-07-06T21:34:07Z")

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I’ve always interpreted it as carying a “hairy eyeball” kind of meaning. Something like the :dubious: only with some annoyed 😕 thrown in.

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**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/3 "2004-07-06T21:54:42Z")

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There have been at least two threads in the last month or so on this topic, [here’s one.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=257621&highlight=emoticon)

O\_o has always seemed like a “the mind boggles” or :dubious look to me.

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**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/4 "2004-07-06T22:25:38Z")

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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?

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**Author:** ![Marathon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Marathon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marathon)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/5 "2004-07-06T22:38:47Z")

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> [@pilot141](#):
>
> So what does “\<3” mean?

I believe it’s a heart. A heart that fell on its side?

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**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/6 "2004-07-06T23:06:32Z")

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> [@FilmGeek](#):
>
> O\_o has always seemed like a “the mind boggles” or :dubious look to me.

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!

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**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/7 "2004-07-06T23:09:41Z")

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> [@Barrytown](#):
>
> I believe it’s a heart. A heart that fell on its side?

Yes. It’s a heart. I use it on my phone all the time.

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**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/8 "2004-07-06T23:24:15Z")

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Thanks for the replies!

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/9 "2004-07-07T01:03:45Z")

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Yes, thanks to everyone for this impromptu seminar on Internet lingo. 🙂

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**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/10 "2004-07-07T04:32:28Z")

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\<3 is definitely a heart. As in, “I \<3 pilot141”

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**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/11 "2004-07-07T04:42:34Z")

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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!

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**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/12 "2004-07-07T07:51:15Z")

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For some reason **O\_o** annoys the heck out of me. :dubious:

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**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/13 "2004-07-07T09:57:29Z")

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> [@monica](#):
>
> \<3 is definitely a heart. As in, “I \<3 pilot141”

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?)

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/14 "2004-07-07T10:15:23Z")

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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

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/15 "2004-07-07T10:42:53Z")

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> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> The effort that people have put into creating these text emoticons is quite amazing

Yep, and if you \<3 someone, how about giving them a

-’-,-’-,-\<@

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/16 "2004-07-07T10:45:31Z")

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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.O** s, though.

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**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/17 "2004-07-07T12:32:35Z")

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Once again, [The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/) 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.

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**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/18 "2004-07-09T11:41:17Z")

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> [@Tengu](#):
>
> 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!

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.

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**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-emoticon-question/253847/19 "2004-07-09T11:57:56Z")

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> [@Vision of Love](#):
>
> 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