🫢

Face with Open Eyes and Hand Over Mouth

feys with oh-puhn ahyz and hand oh-ver mouth
Unicode: 1FAE2
Added: 14.0
Category: Smileys & Emotion

Definitions

1
Emotional · Surprise Very Common
Expresses surprise, shock, or a gasp reaction to unexpected information or a revelation. Conveys being stunned or taken aback while trying to contain the reaction.
Often used when learning surprising news or witnessing something unexpected. More wide-eyed and shocked than embarrassed.
Did you hear who's getting divorced? 🫢
WhatsApp group chat
Just saw the season finale and I'm 🫢
Twitter/X reaction
The price of houses these days 🫢
Instagram comment
Introduced in 2021, quickly became popular for expressing genuine surprise rather than the giggling or embarrassment of similar emojis.
2
Communication · Gossip Common
Indicates sharing or receiving gossip, secrets, or juicy information. Suggests the speaker is about to share something scandalous or is reacting to scandalous news.
Popular in gossip contexts, celebrity news discussions, and when sharing insider information or rumors.
I shouldn't tell you this but... 🫢
Private message
The tea about the new manager 🫢
Group chat
Functions as digital body language for gossip circles, replacing the physical gesture of whispering behind one's hand.
3
Emotional · Embarrassment Common
Expresses mild embarrassment, an 'oops' moment, or recognition of a mistake or faux pas. Shows awareness of having said or done something inappropriate.
Less playful than 🤭 (face with hand over mouth). Implies genuine shock at one's own actions rather than mischievous giggling.
Just sent that email to the entire company by mistake 🫢
Work chat
Walked into the wrong meeting room while they were having a serious discussion 🫢
Text message
Often used in professional contexts when acknowledging errors, as it conveys awareness without the childish connotations of other similar emojis.

Evolution Timeline

2021
Introduced in Emoji 14.0 as part of a set of new face emojis with more nuanced emotional expressions.
Growing need for more specific emotional reactions in digital communication.
2022
Gained popularity on TikTok for reaction videos to surprising revelations or plot twists in TV shows and movies.
Rise of reaction content and commentary videos on social platforms.
2023
Became widely used in workplace communications as a softer way to acknowledge mistakes or misunderstandings.
Increasing emoji acceptance in professional settings and need for nuanced expressions.

Cultural Context

Distinguished from similar emojis by its wide-eyed expression, indicating genuine surprise rather than giggling (🤭) or embarrassed blushing (😳).
Functions as a digital representation of the universal human gesture of covering one's mouth in shock, which appears across cultures as an instinctive reaction.
One of the newer face emojis (2021) that helped expand the emotional vocabulary of digital communication with more nuanced expressions of surprise.
Quickly adopted by younger users who appreciated its ability to convey genuine shock without the childish connotations of earlier similar emojis.
In Western contexts, associated with gossip culture; in East Asian contexts, more commonly used to express polite embarrassment or restraint.

Regional Variations

Australia Often used with Australian slang terms like 'deadset' or 'fair dinkum' to express genuine shock or disbelief at surprising information.
United Kingdom More commonly used for genuine social faux pas and embarrassing situations rather than celebrity gossip. Often used with British understatement.
United States Frequently used to indicate celebrity gossip reactions and reality TV show moments. Often paired with phrases like 'spill the tea' or 'the drama'.

Generational Usage

Gen_X: Moderate adoption, primarily used to express genuine shock at news events or family announcements rather than for gossip.
Gen_Z: Primary usage for drama reactions, 'spilling tea,' and reacting to plot twists in shows. Heavily used on TikTok and in group chats about social dynamics.
Older: Limited usage, mostly employed literally to indicate surprise or shock at unexpected news, particularly in family group chats.
Millennials: Commonly used in workplace contexts for acknowledging mistakes and in private chats discussing surprising life updates from peers.

Common Combinations

🫢😱
Extreme shock or disbelief, progressing from initial surprise to full astonishment.
Often used when news or information escalates from surprising to shocking.
🫢🍿
Watching drama unfold with shocked interest, enjoying the spectacle of others' conflicts.
Digital equivalent of watching drama with wide-eyed interest while eating popcorn.
🫢💅
Shocked but unbothered, expressing surprise while maintaining an air of detachment.
Popular in Gen Z communication to show awareness of drama without personal involvement.
🫢👀
Noticing something scandalous or inappropriate and reacting with shock.
Digital equivalent of the physical action of seeing something surprising and covering one's mouth.
🫢🤫
Shocked by a secret and promising to keep it confidential.
Used in gossip chains to indicate both surprise at information and commitment to secrecy.

Related Emojis

🤭 Similar hand gesture but with closed or smiling eyes, indicating giggling or mischief rather than shock. 😮 Expresses similar surprise but without the hand gesture, showing more open display of shock. 😱 Represents a more extreme version of the shock or surprise conveyed by 🫢. 🤫 Similar hand-to-mouth gesture but communicates intentional silence rather than shocked reaction. 👀 Often used in combination to indicate noticing something shocking or scandalous.