Free · 72 emoji
Chinese emoji
Tap an emoji or a code to copy it.
Emoji that mean something else in Chinese
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微笑 wēixiào Smile
Often cold or sarcastic, a polite “whatever”, above all to younger people. Parents and older colleagues usually mean it kindly.
好的🙂
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点赞 diǎnzàn Thumbs up
From parents and bosses, “well done” or “got it”. From a friend, a lone 👍 can feel like a cold end to the chat.
收到👍
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狗头 gǒutóu Dog head
“Just kidding”: added after a cheeky line so nobody takes it badly. People say 狗头保命, the dog head saves my life.
老板今天不在，我们放假吧🐶
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吃瓜 chīguā Eating melon
Watching gossip or drama from the sidelines, like grabbing popcorn. Bystanders are 吃瓜群众, the melon-eating crowd.
我就是来吃瓜的🍉
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柠檬精 níngméngjīng Lemon spirit
Jealous. Envy is sour (酸) in Chinese, so 🍋 says “I’m so jealous”, usually as a joke.
你又去旅游了？我酸了🍋
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牛 niú Cow
Impressive: 你真牛, you’re amazing. 🐮🍺 (牛啤, cow beer) sounds like 牛逼, a coarse word for awesome.
一天就写完了？🐮🍺
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绿茶 lǜchá Green tea
An insult for a woman who acts sweet and innocent while scheming. The tea itself is fine.
她太绿茶了🍵
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小丑 xiǎochǒu Clown
Feeling like a fool, usually about yourself: 小丑竟是我自己, the clown was me all along.
小丑竟是我自己🤡
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马住 mǎzhù Horse
Saved for later: 马 (mǎ, horse) sounds like 码 (mǎ, to note down). 先马后看 is “bookmark now, watch later”.
这个攻略太有用了，马住🐴
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草 cǎo Grass
“Damn!” or “lol”: 草 sounds like a swear word (cào), and the sprig of grass softens it.
草🌿，我忘带钥匙了
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鸭梨 yālí Pear
Stress: 鸭梨 (yālí, pear) sounds like 压力 (yālì, pressure), so 鸭梨山大 is “pressure as big as a mountain”.
下周考试，鸭梨山大🍐
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摸鱼 mōyú Touching fish
Slacking off at work or school, doing as little as you can get away with.
老板不在，摸鱼🐟
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搬砖 bānzhuān Moving bricks
Going to work: any dull job done for the money.
周一了，又要去搬砖了🧱
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菜 cài Vegetable
Bad at something, a beginner, often in games: 你好菜, you’re so bad.
我太菜了🥬
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666 liùliùliù Six six six
Awesome, slick: 六 (liù) sounds like 溜 (liù), smooth and skilled. Nothing to do with the devil.
这波操作666
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汗 hàn Sweat
Awkward, lost for words: the drop of sweat when someone says something embarrassing.
你认真的吗😅
WeChat emoji codes
Type or paste a code in a WeChat chat and it turns into WeChat’s emoji.
- 微笑 wēixiàoSmile · Cold or sarcastic to younger people (see 🙂 above)
- 捂脸 wǔliǎnFacepalm · Laughing at something awkward, “I can’t even”
- 呲牙 cīyáGrin · A real, happy laugh
- 偷笑 tōuxiàoSnicker · Secretly pleased with yourself
- 奸笑 jiānxiàoSly smile · Teasing, up to something
- 机智 jīzhìClever · “Smart move”, pleased with an idea
- 旺柴 wàngcháiDoge · Just kidding (see 🐶 above)
- 吃瓜 chīguāEating melon · Watching the drama (see 🍉 above)
- 破涕为笑 pòtì wéixiàoTears of joy · Laughing so hard it hurts
- 汗 hànSweat · Awkward, speechless
- 尴尬 gāngàAwkward · Embarrassed
- 翻白眼 fān báiyǎnEye roll · “Seriously?”, mild scorn
- Emm emmEmm · Hesitating, not sure what to say
- 裂开 lièkāiCracking up · Falling apart, jokingly devastated
- 苦涩 kǔsèBitter · A forced smile through the pain
- 叹气 tànqìSigh · Tired, resigned
- 天啊 tiān aOh my god · Shocked
- 让我看看 ràng wǒ kànkanLet me see · Nosy: show me
- 社会社会 shèhuì shèhuìSo gangster · Tough-guy respect, said as a joke
- 打脸 dǎliǎnFace slap · Proven wrong
- 加油 jiāyóuKeep going · Encouragement: you can do it
- 666 liùliùliùSix six six · Awesome (see 666 above)
- 强 qiángThumbs up · WeChat’s 👍 (see above)
- 抱拳 bàoquánFist salute · Thanks, respect
- 合十 héshíPalms together · Thank you, or please
- 抠鼻 kōubíNose-picking · Couldn’t care less
- 可怜 kěliánPitiful · Puppy eyes, begging a favour
- 红包 hóngbāoRed envelope · A gift of money, or asking for one
Emoji with a Chinese character
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有 yǒu to have; there is
Unicode: Japanese “not free of charge” button
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無 (无) wú none; without
Unicode: Japanese “free of charge” button
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申 shēn to state, as in 申请 (to apply)
Unicode: Japanese “application” button
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営 (营) yíng to run, as in 营业 (open for business)
Unicode: Japanese “open for business” button
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月 yuè month; moon
Unicode: Japanese “monthly amount” button
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指 zhǐ finger; to point at
Unicode: Japanese “reserved” button
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得 dé to get
Unicode: Japanese “bargain” button
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割 gē to cut
Unicode: Japanese “discount” button
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禁 jìn to forbid
Unicode: Japanese “prohibited” button
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可 kě can; may
Unicode: Japanese “acceptable” button
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合 hé to join; to fit
Unicode: Japanese “passing grade” button
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空 kōng empty
Unicode: Japanese “vacancy” button
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満 (满) mǎn full
Unicode: Japanese “no vacancy” button
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祝 zhù to wish; to celebrate
Unicode: Japanese “congratulations” button
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秘 mì secret, as in 秘密
Unicode: Japanese “secret” button
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中 zhōng middle
Unicode: mahjong red dragon
Emoji for Chinese things
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红包 hóngbāo red envelope (a gift of money)
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灯笼 dēnglong lantern
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鞭炮 biānpào firecracker
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龙 lóng dragon
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月饼 yuèbing mooncake
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饺子 jiǎozi dumpling
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筷子 kuàizi chopsticks
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茶 chá tea
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面条 miàntiáo noodles
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熊猫 xióngmāo panda
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麻将 májiàng mahjong
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中国 Zhōngguó China
Why is the smiling emoji rude in Chinese?
In Chinese chats the plain smile (🙂, WeChat’s [微笑]) reads as a forced, polite smile, so it often comes across as cold, mocking or dismissive. Studies of Chinese users find younger people read it as sarcastic more often than older ones, who still use it kindly. To smile warmly, send 😄, [呲牙] or [愉快].
What does 👍 mean in Chinese?
Approval, “well done” or “got it”: in WeChat it is [强], and 点赞 (diǎnzàn) is to give a like. From a friend of your own age a lone 👍 can feel curt, the way a one-word “OK” does.
How do you send WeChat emoji?
Type the code with its square brackets in a WeChat chat, such as [捂脸], and it shows as the emoji. Tap a code on this page to copy it. Outside WeChat the code stays text.
What are the Chinese emojis on the iPhone?
The 15 square buttons with a character on them, such as 🈶 and 🈚, and the mahjong tile 🀄. They came from Japanese phones, so Unicode names them for their Japanese use (🈹 is the “discount” button), but every character is Chinese too and reads in Mandarin: 🈶 is 有 (yǒu), “to have”. Three use Japanese or traditional forms: 無, 営 and 満 are written 无, 营 and 满 in mainland China.
What does 🉑 mean in Chinese?
可 (kě), “can; may”, as in 可以 (kěyǐ), “OK, that works”. Unicode calls it the Japanese “acceptable” button.
More to copy
Emoji names from Unicode’s emoji list; meanings and pinyin from our own dictionary. WeChat codes are the names WeChat gives its emoji. Readings of 🙂 by age from studies of Chinese users’ chats (Heliyon, 2024; Social Science Computer Review, 2024).