🥹
Face Holding Back Tears
feys hohl-ding bak teerz
Definitions
1
Emotional · Touched
Very Common
Expresses being deeply moved or touched by something heartwarming, causing one to become emotional but trying to maintain composure while feeling overwhelmed with positive feelings.
Often used to show being touched by kind gestures, sentimental moments, or expressions of love and support.
My best friend surprised me with tickets to see my favorite band 🥹
Instagram caption
When he got down on one knee, I literally couldn't speak 🥹
TikTok comment
The way my dog waits for me at the door every day 🥹
Twitter/X post
Conveys vulnerability while maintaining dignity; represents the modern comfort with showing emotional sensitivity in digital communication.
2
Emotional · Gratitude
Common
Indicates overwhelming gratitude or appreciation that brings one to the verge of tears, often used when receiving unexpected kindness or recognition.
Frequently paired with expressions of thanks or acknowledgment of support during difficult times.
You all showed up for me during the hardest time in my life 🥹 I don't know how to thank you enough
Group chat message
Reading all your birthday messages 🥹 I feel so loved
Instagram story
Represents the increasing social acceptance of showing emotional vulnerability, especially among younger generations.
3
Emotional · Pride
Common
Shows feeling proud to the point of tears, typically used by parents, mentors, or friends when witnessing achievements or growth in someone they care about.
Often used to comment on graduation photos, performance videos, or milestone announcements.
Watching my little sister graduate college today 🥹 She worked so hard for this
Facebook post
My student just got accepted to her dream school 🥹
WhatsApp message
Particularly popular among parents sharing their children's accomplishments on social media.
Evolution Timeline
2022
Introduced in iOS 15.4 update, quickly gaining popularity as a more nuanced emotional expression than existing crying emojis.
Growing desire for expressing complex emotions in digital communication
2022
Rapidly adopted by Gen Z on TikTok to express being touched by wholesome content and acts of kindness.
Rise of 'wholesome' content trend during post-pandemic social media
2023
Expanded beyond Gen Z to wider adoption across generations, becoming a mainstream expression of being emotionally moved.
Increasing social acceptance of emotional vulnerability across age groups
Cultural Context
Represents the evolution of emotional expression in digital communication, where showing vulnerability is increasingly valued over traditional stoicism.
Initially embraced by Gen Z but quickly adopted across generations, signaling a cultural shift toward greater emotional openness in digital spaces.
Fills a specific emotional niche between joy and sadness, allowing users to express complex emotions of being simultaneously happy and moved to tears.
Demonstrates how emoji design continues to evolve to capture increasingly nuanced emotional states that text alone struggles to convey efficiently.
While universally understood, its usage frequency varies by cultural comfort with emotional expression, with higher usage in expressive cultures.
Regional Variations
Australia
Often used with a touch of humor, balancing sincere emotion with Australian casual communication style.
United Kingdom
Used with slightly more restraint than in the US, often with understated British emotional expressions.
United States
Widely used across platforms with strong presence on TikTok and Instagram, often in response to heartwarming content.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Increasingly adopted, particularly by parents sharing pride in their children's achievements or expressing gratitude for support.
Gen_Z: Extensively used across platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram, to express authentic emotional reactions to content that resonates deeply.
Older: Less frequently used but growing in adoption, primarily in family group chats and in response to grandchildren's updates.
Millennials: Commonly used in family contexts, workplace accomplishments, and to acknowledge support during life transitions and milestones.
Common Combinations
🥹❤️
Overwhelmed with love or touched by an act of love or kindness.
Often used to express gratitude for support during difficult times or in response to declarations of love.
🥹🙏
Deeply grateful to the point of tears, often for support or kindness.
Frequently used in acknowledgment of community support, especially during personal challenges.
🥹✨
Touched by something magical or special that creates an emotional moment.
Popular in response to beautiful achievements, transformations, or special moments.
🥹🫶
Deeply moved by love and support, often expressing tender affection.
Frequently used between close friends and family members to show deep appreciation.
🥹👏
Proud to the point of tears, often celebrating someone else's achievement.
Common in parent-child communications or mentor relationships acknowledging growth.
Related Emojis
😭
More intense emotional expression without restraint
🥲
Similar bittersweet emotion but with less intensity
😢
Shows sadness with tears, while 🥹 shows being emotionally moved with restrained tears
☺️
Shows warm feelings but without the emotional intensity
🫶
Often used together to express being touched by love