πͺ
Sleepy Face
SLEE-pee fays
Definitions
1
Emotional Β· Tiredness
Common
Depicts a face with a sleepy expression and a bubble of snot coming from one nostril, indicating exhaustion or drowsiness.
Often used to express feeling tired, needing sleep, or being bored by something.
Been working on this project for 14 hours straight πͺ Need sleep.
Text message
Monday morning meetings πͺ
Social media post
My professor's lecture was so boring πͺ
Messaging app
Originally based on the anime/manga convention of showing a sleeping character with a snot bubble.
2
Emotional Β· Sadness
Common
Used to express mild sadness, disappointment, or frustration in a resigned way.
Often confused with the crying face emoji due to the tear-like appearance of the snot bubble.
Just found out I didn't get the job πͺ
Text message
My vacation got canceled again πͺ
Social media post
In Western contexts, many users interpret this as a crying emoji rather than a sleepy one.
Evolution Timeline
2010
Introduced in Unicode 6.0 as part of the original emoji set from Japanese carriers.
Growing Western adoption of Japanese emoji sets
2015
Meaning began to shift in Western contexts, increasingly used to express mild sadness.
Misinterpretation of the snot bubble as a tear
2018
Usage in work and school contexts increased, particularly for expressing burnout.
Rising discourse around burnout culture and work-life balance
Cultural Context
The dual interpretation as either sleepy or sad creates frequent miscommunication, especially across cultural boundaries.
Often used in discussions of work-life balance and burnout culture, particularly among younger professionals and students.
In East Asian contexts, the snot bubble is clearly recognized as indicating sleep, while Western users often mistake it for a tear.
Different platform designs emphasize either the sleepy eyes or the bubble, affecting how users interpret the emoji's meaning.
Regional Variations
Japan
Used more accurately to its original meaning of being asleep, as the snot bubble is a common manga/anime trope.
United States
Primarily used to indicate tiredness or boredom, but frequently misinterpreted as a crying emoji.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: More literal usage to indicate actual tiredness or need for sleep, less for emotional contexts.
Gen_Z: Frequently used to express mild disappointment or boredom rather than actual tiredness. Common on TikTok and Instagram.
Older: Limited usage, but when used typically indicates literal sleepiness rather than emotional states.
Millennials: Used both for genuine exhaustion and to convey work burnout. Popular in workplace chat apps like Slack.
Common Combinations
πͺπ€
Extremely tired or already sleeping
Emphasizes exhaustion, commonly used when staying up late or pulling all-nighters
πͺβ
Needing caffeine to stay awake
References coffee culture and workplace tiredness
πͺπ
Tired from studying or working late
Popular among students during exam periods
πͺπ
Ready for bed or needing sleep badly
Used when expressing desire to sleep after a long day