Millennials may have been the first to be blessed with the bold, new world of emojis, but Gen Z created their own emoji vocabulary that no one saw coming
by Foo Jie Ying
Emojis may be ubiquitous today, but the same little icons that you punctuate your sentences with could mean something vastly different to someone from a different generation, like your parents or your prof.
Here are some examples of Gen Z’s ironic and slightly nuanced take on these modern-day hieroglyphs. (Psst, your profs might be reading this…)
🙂 Slightly smiling face
Not all smiles are born equal. The generic smiley face in the world of emojis, which used to be a universal symbol of joy, will no longer cut it for Gen Z, who see it more as an emoji to convey sarcasm or irony. Try 😊 – the rosier the cheeks, the more genuine the emotion.
💀 Skull
It’s common wisdom on TikTok that the 😂 laughing-crying emoji is for boomers. Instead, try the 💀 emoji, a popular replacement for conveying laughter. It’s the visual version of the slang phrase “I’m dead” or “I’m dying”, which signifies something is very funny.
✨🔥 Sparkle and Fire
Bookending your comments or words with the sparkle emoji puts emphasis on them, often ironically or sarcastically. This is known as a fairy comment. Some Gen Z-ers string it together with a bunch or other positive emojis, like stars, rainbows and fairies, and then pair them with something negative – another type of fairy comment. A variation uses a series of 🔥, so your parents might think you’re raving about something when you’re actually being sarcastic.
❤️ Heart
A heart doesn’t always mean “I love you”. When accompanied by a rejection or a negative comment, the classic ❤️ heart emoji is anything but affection. For instance, when paired with the word “no” or any negative comment, the heart emoji doesn’t soften the rejection or blow. In TikTok, this type of funny yet sarcastic comment is known as a fairy comment.
🤠 Cowboy
On the face of it, the cowboy is a grinning emoji that suggests exuberance and cheerfulness. But for many in Gen Z, when someone uses this emoji, it means the sender is happy on the outside, but feeling sucky or “dead” inside. It originated during the pandemic but is still popular today.
👁️👄👁️ Eye, Lip, Eye
Why limit yourself to the usual open-mouthed emoji to express shock or surprise when you can do it with this collection of emojis? The face is meant to emulate wide eyes and a slackened jaw, just like how you would typically respond to something shocking, outrageous, cringey or embarrassing.
EMOJIS 👍 IN THE 💬💰⏰ WORLD ✏️🌼 OF 🏢👔 WORK
You’re on internship and tempted to communicate the way you normally do, with your Gen Z colleagues. Don’t get too emoji-nal though. Here are some tips on emoji etiquette in the workplace.
1. Stick to “safe” emojis
Certain emojis can be a little controversial and may mean different things to people of different ages. Steer clear of emojis that you think could be potentially offensive or misinterpreted.
2. Pick the right context
What is the style of communication in your workplace? For instance, emojis may belong more in a work chat online, than in an email. An informal work culture may also lend itself to more liberal use of emojis.
3. Don’t forget your words
An emoji may be worth a dozen words, but it is still a symbol after all. It might be wiser to use emojis sparingly even if you think using them makes you more approachable. Show your boss how literate and professional you are with appropriate language and tone.
This story was published in the Mar-Apr 2023 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
