🀐

Zipper-Mouth Face

ZIP-er mouth fays
Unicode: 1F910
Added: 1.0
Category: Smileys & Emotion
#20
Global Ranking
accessible
Accessibility
very common
Usage Level

Definitions

1
Expression Β· Silence Very Common
Indicates keeping quiet, being unable to speak, or maintaining secrecy about something. Used when someone is deliberately not sharing information or has been told to stay silent.
Often used playfully to indicate holding back information or being instructed not to speak about something.
I know who she's dating but I promised not to tell anyone 🀐
Private messaging
When your boss asks about the office gossip 🀐
Social media caption
Got some big news coming but I'm sworn to secrecy for now 🀐
Group chat
Symbolizes discretion in digital communication. The zipper metaphor for sealed lips is widely understood across English-speaking cultures.
2
Expression Β· Embarrassment Common
Expresses embarrassment or awkwardness when someone feels they've said too much or something inappropriate and wishes to stop talking.
Often used after an accidental overshare or when realizing one should stop talking.
Just realized I've been rambling about my ex for 10 minutes 🀐
Personal message
Accidentally told my colleague what I really think of the boss 🀐
Social media post
Functions as a self-censoring symbol, acknowledging social boundaries around appropriate speech.

Evolution Timeline

2015
Introduction in Unicode 8.0, initially used primarily to indicate keeping secrets.
Growing need for an emoji representing discretion in digital communication.
2017
Usage expanded to include self-censorship in response to growing awareness of social media consequences.
Increasing instances of career damage from inappropriate social media posts.
2020
Saw increased usage during pandemic-related NDAs and confidential vaccine/treatment developments.
COVID-19 research and healthcare workers bound by confidentiality agreements.

Cultural Context

The zipper metaphor for sealed lips is consistent across English-speaking cultures, unlike some facial expressions that vary culturally. The concept translates well across language barriers.
Represents the social contract of confidentiality. In group settings, signals in-group knowledge being withheld from outsiders, creating social bonds among those 'in the know.'
Gained prominence with the rise of social media oversharing concerns and workplace communication platforms where discretion became increasingly important.
Younger users employ it more playfully for trivial secrets, while older generations tend to use it more seriously for professional confidentiality.

Regional Variations

Australia Often paired with Australian slang like 'won't spill the beans' or 'keeping shtum'. Used more casually than in other regions.
United Kingdom Often used with phrases like 'mum's the word' or 'my lips are sealed' in British English. Commonly used in more playful contexts.
United States Often paired with phrases like 'zip it' or 'lips sealed' in American English. Commonly used in workplace contexts to indicate confidentiality.

Generational Usage

Gen_X: Used more sparingly and typically in more serious contexts of confidentiality. Less likely to use in casual conversation.
Gen_Z: Used playfully for trivial secrets and social media teasing. Common on TikTok and Instagram to hint at upcoming announcements or gossip.
Older: Limited usage, primarily in family group chats regarding surprise events or when explicitly discussing the need for discretion.
Millennials: Frequently used in workplace contexts (Slack, Teams) to indicate confidential projects or in group chats for surprise planning.

Common Combinations

πŸ€πŸ”’
Absolute secrecy or being legally bound to silence.
Often used regarding NDAs, legal matters, or serious promises of confidentiality.
πŸ€πŸ˜‰
Playfully keeping a secret, implying the sender knows something interesting.
Used for gossip, surprise planning, or teasing about withheld information.
πŸ€πŸ’―
Absolutely committed to keeping a secret or staying silent.
Used to reassure someone of complete discretion.
🀐🀫
Emphatic secrecy, both keeping quiet and encouraging others to do the same.
Used when a secret involves multiple people or could easily spread.
🀐😬
Struggling to keep a secret or finding it difficult to stay silent.
Indicates the tension between wanting to share information but being unable to.

Related Emojis

🀫 Both indicate silence, but 🀫 suggests requesting quiet while 🀐 shows enforced silence. πŸ”’ Often paired together to emphasize locked or sealed information. 😢 Both indicate not speaking, but 😢 suggests speechlessness while 🀐 implies deliberate silence. πŸ™Š Both represent not speaking about something known, with cultural reference to 'speak no evil'.