πŸ˜›

Face with Tongue

feys with tuhng
Unicode: 1F61B
Added: 1.0
Category: Smileys & Emotion
#67
Global Ranking
accessible
Accessibility
very common
Usage Level

Definitions

1
Emotions Β· Playfulness Very Common
Expresses playfulness, silliness, or a lighthearted teasing attitude. Often used to indicate someone is joking or not being serious.
Commonly used after jokes, teasing comments, or to soften potentially offensive statements.
Just finished my 5-mile run in record time πŸ˜› (it was actually just to the fridge and back)
Text message or social media post
I'm totally going to ace this exam without studying πŸ˜›
Group chat
Your outfit looks weird today πŸ˜›
Text message between friends
In Western contexts, sticking out the tongue has historically represented childishness, mockery, or defiance.
2
Food Β· Enjoyment Common
Indicates enjoyment of food, anticipation of eating something delicious, or expressing that something tastes good.
Often used when posting food photos or discussing meals and treats.
Just made homemade chocolate chip cookies πŸ˜›
Instagram caption
Pizza night tonight πŸ˜›
Family group chat
The protruding tongue symbolizes taste and appetite across many cultures.
3
Flirtation Β· Suggestive Common
Used in a flirtatious or mildly suggestive context to indicate attraction or playful interest.
More common among younger users in dating contexts or private messages.
You look really good in that new profile pic πŸ˜›
Dating app message
Can't wait to see you tonight πŸ˜›
Text between romantic partners
Has evolved to have mild sexual connotations in some contexts, especially in dating app communications.

Evolution Timeline

2010
Introduced in Unicode 6.0 as part of the original emoji set.
Growing demand for expressive face emojis in digital communication
2015
Usage shifted from primarily childish playfulness to include more sarcastic and teasing contexts.
Emoji adoption by broader age demographics and evolving digital communication norms
2018
Increasingly adopted in food-related posts as social media food photography became mainstream.
Rise of Instagram food culture and culinary social sharing
2020
Saw increased usage in dating apps and flirtatious contexts, developing more suggestive connotations.
Pandemic-driven shift to digital dating and evolving online flirtation norms

Cultural Context

The gesture of sticking out one's tongue has ancient roots as a sign of mockery, defiance, or childish teasing across many cultures worldwide.
In Western contexts, this emoji helps mitigate potentially offensive statements, functioning as a digital equivalent of playful body language.
While older generations primarily use it to indicate joking, younger users have expanded its meaning to include flirtation and food enjoyment.
Functions as a tone marker in digital communication, similar to how vocal tone and facial expressions modify spoken language in face-to-face interactions.
In some Asian cultures, particularly Tibet, sticking out the tongue has traditionally been a greeting or sign of respect, creating potential cross-cultural misunderstandings.

Regional Variations

Australia Australian usage often emphasizes the mocking or teasing aspect, frequently appearing in banter between mates.
United Kingdom In British usage, this emoji often carries stronger connotations of cheekiness and mild rebellion against authority or social norms.
United States In the US, this emoji is heavily used in casual conversations and often carries a strong sense of sarcasm or playful mockery.

Generational Usage

Gen_X: Primarily used to indicate joking or to soften potentially offensive statements in family group chats and social media.
Gen_Z: Frequently used in flirtatious contexts and food posts. Often paired with other emojis to create nuanced meanings on TikTok and Instagram.
Older: Less frequently used, but when employed, typically indicates simple playfulness or joking in text messages to family members.
Millennials: Commonly used to indicate sarcasm or non-serious statements in text messages and workplace communication apps like Slack.

Common Combinations

πŸ˜›πŸ˜‚
Indicates something is both silly and hilarious, often used when teasing friends.
Common in group chats when friends are joking around or sharing embarrassing stories.
πŸ˜›πŸ€ͺ
Represents escalating silliness or goofiness, often used in playful contexts.
Popular among younger users to express exaggerated playfulness or mock craziness.
πŸ˜›πŸ•
Expresses excitement about pizza or food, indicating appetite and anticipation.
Frequently used in food-related posts or when discussing meals with friends.
πŸ˜›πŸ’¦
Can indicate either thirst for a drink or have suggestive connotations depending on context.
Has evolved to have multiple meanings across different age groups and platforms.
πŸ˜›βœ¨
Expresses playful excitement or enthusiasm about something special or magical.
Often used by younger users to add a sense of whimsy to statements.

Related Emojis

😜 Similar playful meaning but adds a winking eye to suggest mischief or flirtation. 😝 More intense version with tightly closed eyes, suggesting extreme silliness or excitement. πŸ€ͺ More exaggerated expression of silliness or craziness. πŸ˜‹ Similar tongue display but specifically focused on food enjoyment rather than playfulness. 😏 Often used in similar flirtatious contexts but with a more suggestive, less playful tone.