3 *Not to be [confused](often_confused.md) with [emoji](emoji.md).*
5 Emoticon (emotion icon) is a short group of [text](text.md) characters that together by their look resemble a simple picture, very often a facial expression (but also other common symbols), for example `:-)`, `O_O` or `=[`. Emoticons are used to communicate feelings and emotions in text-only communication, such as [Internet](internet.md) chat, where body language is missing to provide this function. Emoticons are different from [emoji](emoji.md) (which serve basically the same purpose but are true, small pictures inserted in text) and smileys (smiling faces, both emoticon and emoji).
7 [History](history.md) of emoticons reaches far back before [computers](computer.md), possibly even to 17th century; invention of emoticons in computer communication is generally attributed to american Scott Fahlman who, as a teacher in 1982, suggested to mark [jokes](jokes.md) on the school [BBS](bbs.md) with `:-)`, exactly for the reason that some people didn't get jokes because of the absence of body language.
9 Using [Unicode](unicode.md) in emoticons is considered cheap [cheating](cheating.md), so we won't do that here, pure [ASCII](ascii.md) emoticons are best. There are literal emoji pictures in Unicode so if you allow its use, you can just use that and not bother with emoticons. Also multi-line emoticons don't count, that's already [ASCII art](ascii_art.md).
11 There are different types of emoticons, mainly **western**, which are 90 degrees flipped, e.g. `:-)` or `:{` (the nose symbol is sometimes missing), and **eastern**, which are not flipped, e.g. `<[o_o]>` or `(^.^)`. Western ones can additionally also be flipped, e.g. `(-:` instead of `:-)`, but doing it is not very common.
13 Here are some emoticons:
17 ) :) :-) :o) ;) ;-) ;o) =) =-) =o) 8) 8-) 8o) B) B-) Bo) X) X-) Xo)
18 :') :^) :~) ;') ;^) ;~) =') =^) =~) 8') 8^) 8~) B') B^) B~) X') X^) X~)
19 ( :( :-( :o( ;( ;-( ;o( =( =-( =o( 8( 8-( 8o( B( B-( Bo( X( X-( Xo(
20 :'( :^( :~( ;'( ;^( ;~( ='( =^( =~( 8'( 8^( 8~( B'( B^( B~( X'( X^( X~(
21 | :| :-| :o| ;| ;-| ;o| =| =-| =o| 8| 8-| 8o| B| B-| Bo| X| X-| Xo|
22 :'| :^| :~| ;'| ;^| ;~| ='| =^| =~| 8'| 8^| 8~| B'| B^| B~| X'| X^| X~|
23 / :/ :-/ :o/ ;/ ;-/ ;o/ =/ =-/ =o/ 8/ 8-/ 8o/ B/ B-/ Bo/ X/ X-/ Xo/
24 :'/ :^/ :~/ ;'/ ;^/ ;~/ ='/ =^/ =~/ 8'/ 8^/ 8~/ B'/ B^/ B~/ X'/ X^/ X~/
25 \ :\ :-\ :o\ ;\ ;-\ ;o\ =\ =-\ =o\ 8\ 8-\ 8o\ B\ B-\ Bo\ X\ X-\ Xo\
26 :'\ :^\ :~\ ;'\ ;^\ ;~\ ='\ =^\ =~\ 8'\ 8^\ 8~\ B'\ B^\ B~\ X'\ X^\ X~\
27 { :{ :-{ :o{ ;{ ;-{ ;o{ ={ =-{ =o{ 8{ 8-{ 8o{ B{ B-{ Bo{ X{ X-{ Xo{
28 :'{ :^{ :~{ ;'{ ;^{ ;~{ ='{ =^{ =~{ 8'{ 8^{ 8~{ B'{ B^{ B~{ X'{ X^{ X~{
29 } :} :-} :o} ;} ;-} ;o} =} =-} =o} 8} 8-} 8o} B} B-} Bo} X} X-} Xo}
30 :'} :^} :~} ;'} ;^} ;~} ='} =^} =~} 8'} 8^} 8~} B'} B^} B~} X'} X^} X~}
31 [ :[ :-[ :o[ ;[ ;-[ ;o[ =[ =-[ =o[ 8[ 8-[ 8o[ B[ B-[ Bo[ X[ X-[ Xo[
32 :'[ :^[ :~[ ;'[ ;^[ ;~[ ='[ =^[ =~[ 8'[ 8^[ 8~[ B'[ B^[ B~[ X'[ X^[ X~[
33 ] :] :-] :o] ;] ;-] ;o] =] =-] =o] 8] 8-] 8o] B] B-] Bo] X] X-] Xo]
34 :'] :^] :~] ;'] ;^] ;~] ='] =^] =~] 8'] 8^] 8~] B'] B^] B~] X'] X^] X~]
35 O :O :-O :oO ;O ;-O ;oO =O =-O =oO 8O 8-O 8oO BO B-O BoO XO X-O XoO
36 :'O :^O :~O ;'O ;^O ;~O ='O =^O =~O 8'O 8^O 8~O B'O B^O B~O X'O X^O X~O
37 P :P :-P :oP ;P ;-P ;oP =P =-P =oP 8P 8-P 8oP BP B-P BoP XP X-P XoP
38 :'P :^P :~P ;'P ;^P ;~P ='P =^P =~P 8'P 8^P 8~P B'P B^P B~P X'P X^P X~P
39 p :p :-p :op ;p ;-p ;op =p =-p =op 8p 8-p 8op Bp B-p Bop Xp X-p Xop
40 :'p :^p :~p ;'p ;^p ;~p ='p =^p =~p 8'p 8^p 8~p B'p B^p B~p X'p X^p X~p
41 D :D :-D :oD ;D ;-D ;oD =D =-D =oD 8D 8-D 8oD BD B-D BoD XD X-D XoD
42 :'D :^D :~D ;'D ;^D ;~D ='D =^D =~D 8'D 8^D 8~D B'D B^D B~D X'D X^D X~D
43 3 :3 :-3 :o3 ;3 ;-3 ;o3 =3 =-3 =o3 83 8-3 8o3 B3 B-3 Bo3 X3 X-3 Xo3
44 :'3 :^3 :~3 ;'3 ;^3 ;~3 ='3 =^3 =~3 8'3 8^3 8~3 B'3 B^3 B~3 X'3 X^3 X~3
45 C :C :-C :oC ;C ;-C ;oC =C =-C =oC 8C 8-C 8oC BC B-C BoC XC X-C XoC
46 :'C :^C :~C ;'C ;^C ;~C ='C =^C =~C 8'C 8^C 8~C B'C B^C B~C X'C X^C X~C
47 c :c :-c :oc ;c ;-c ;oc =c =-c =oc 8c 8-c 8oc Bc B-c Boc Xc X-c Xoc
48 :'c :^c :~c ;'c ;^c ;~c ='c =^c =~c 8'c 8^c 8~c B'c B^c B~c X'c X^c X~c
49 S :S :-S :oS ;S ;-S ;oS =S =-S =oS 8S 8-S 8oS BS B-S BoS XS X-S XoS
50 :'S :^S :~S ;'S ;^S ;~S ='S =^S =~S 8'S 8^S 8~S B'S B^S B~S X'S X^S X~S
51 * :* :-* :o* ;* ;-* ;o* =* =-* =o* 8* 8-* 8o* B* B-* Bo* X* X-* Xo*
52 :'* :^* :~* ;'* ;^* ;~* ='* =^* =~* 8'* 8^* 8~* B'* B^* B~* X'* X^* X~*
53 1 :1 :-1 :o1 ;1 ;-1 ;o1 =1 =-1 =o1 81 8-1 8o1 B1 B-1 Bo1 X1 X-1 Xo1
54 :'1 :^1 :~1 ;'1 ;^1 ;~1 ='1 =^1 =~1 8'1 8^1 8~1 B'1 B^1 B~1 X'1 X^1 X~1
57 ) ): )-: )o: ); )-; )o; )= )-= )o= )8 )-8 )o8 )X )-X )oX
58 )': )^: )~: )'; )^; )~; )'= )^= )~= )'8 )^8 )~8 )'X )^X )~X
59 ( (: (-: (o: (; (-; (o; (= (-= (o= (8 (-8 (o8 (X (-X (oX
60 (': (^: (~: ('; (^; (~; ('= (^= (~= ('8 (^8 (~8 ('X (^X (~X
61 | |: |-: |o: |; |-; |o; |= |-= |o= |8 |-8 |o8 |X |-X |oX
62 |': |^: |~: |'; |^; |~; |'= |^= |~= |'8 |^8 |~8 |'X |^X |~X
63 / /: /-: /o: /; /-; /o; /= /-= /o= /8 /-8 /o8 /X /-X /oX
64 /': /^: /~: /'; /^; /~; /'= /^= /~= /'8 /^8 /~8 /'X /^X /~X
65 \ \: \-: \o: \; \-; \o; \= \-= \o= \8 \-8 \o8 \X \-X \oX
66 \': \^: \~: \'; \^; \~; \'= \^= \~= \'8 \^8 \~8 \'X \^X \~X
67 { {: {-: {o: {; {-; {o; {= {-= {o= {8 {-8 {o8 {X {-X {oX
68 {': {^: {~: {'; {^; {~; {'= {^= {~= {'8 {^8 {~8 {'X {^X {~X
69 } }: }-: }o: }; }-; }o; }= }-= }o= }8 }-8 }o8 }X }-X }oX
70 }': }^: }~: }'; }^; }~; }'= }^= }~= }'8 }^8 }~8 }'X }^X }~X
71 [ [: [-: [o: [; [-; [o; [= [-= [o= [8 [-8 [o8 [X [-X [oX
72 [': [^: [~: ['; [^; [~; ['= [^= [~= ['8 [^8 [~8 ['X [^X [~X
73 ] ]: ]-: ]o: ]; ]-; ]o; ]= ]-= ]o= ]8 ]-8 ]o8 ]X ]-X ]oX
74 ]': ]^: ]~: ]'; ]^; ]~; ]'= ]^= ]~= ]'8 ]^8 ]~8 ]'X ]^X ]~X
75 O O: O-: Oo: O; O-; Oo; O= O-= Oo= O8 O-8 Oo8 OX O-X OoX
76 O': O^: O~: O'; O^; O~; O'= O^= O~= O'8 O^8 O~8 O'X O^X O~X
77 q q: q-: qo: q; q-; qo; q= q-= qo= q8 q-8 qo8 qX q-X qoX
78 q': q^: q~: q'; q^; q~; q'= q^= q~= q'8 q^8 q~8 q'X q^X q~X
79 C C: C-: Co: C; C-; Co; C= C-= Co= C8 C-8 Co8 CX C-X CoX
80 C': C^: C~: C'; C^; C~; C'= C^= C~= C'8 C^8 C~8 C'X C^X C~X
81 c c: c-: co: c; c-; co; c= c-= co= c8 c-8 co8 cX c-X coX
82 c': c^: c~: c'; c^; c~; c'= c^= c~= c'8 c^8 c~8 c'X c^X c~X
83 S S: S-: So: S; S-; So; S= S-= So= S8 S-8 So8 SX S-X SoX
84 S': S^: S~: S'; S^; S~; S'= S^= S~= S'8 S^8 S~8 S'X S^X S~X
85 * *: *-: *o: *; *-; *o; *= *-= *o= *8 *-8 *o8 *X *-X *oX
86 *': *^: *~: *'; *^; *~; *'= *^= *~= *'8 *^8 *~8 *'X *^X *~X
87 1 1: 1-: 1o: 1; 1-; 1o; 1= 1-= 1o= 18 1-8 1o8 1X 1-X 1oX
88 1': 1^: 1~: 1'; 1^; 1~; 1'= 1^= 1~= 1'8 1^8 1~8 1'X 1^X 1~X
90 >-) :)) :^} :'-( B{|} >:( xD
93 OO O_O (O_O) O-O (O-O) O~O (O~O) O.O (O.O) OvO (OvO) OwO (OwO) OoO (OoO) O...O (O...O)
94 [O_O] {O_O} [O-O] {O-O} [O~O] {O~O} [O.O] {O.O} [OvO] {OvO} [OwO] {OwO} [OoO] {OoO} [O...O] {O...O}
95 oo o_o (o_o) o-o (o-o) o~o (o~o) o.o (o.o) ovo (ovo) owo (owo) ooo (ooo) o...o (o...o)
96 [o_o] {o_o} [o-o] {o-o} [o~o] {o~o} [o.o] {o.o} [ovo] {ovo} [owo] {owo} [ooo] {ooo} [o...o] {o...o}
97 Oo O_o (O_o) O-o (O-o) O~o (O~o) O.o (O.o) Ovo (Ovo) Owo (Owo) Ooo (Ooo) O...o (O...o)
98 [O_o] {O_o} [O-o] {O-o} [O~o] {O~o} [O.o] {O.o} [Ovo] {Ovo} [Owo] {Owo} [Ooo] {Ooo} [O...o] {O...o}
99 00 0_0 (0_0) 0-0 (0-0) 0~0 (0~0) 0.0 (0.0) 0v0 (0v0) 0w0 (0w0) 0o0 (0o0) 0...0 (0...0)
100 [0_0] {0_0} [0-0] {0-0} [0~0] {0~0} [0.0] {0.0} [0v0] {0v0} [0w0] {0w0} [0o0] {0o0} [0...0] {0...0}
101 QQ Q_Q (Q_Q) Q-Q (Q-Q) Q~Q (Q~Q) Q.Q (Q.Q) QvQ (QvQ) QwQ (QwQ) QoQ (QoQ) Q...Q (Q...Q)
102 [Q_Q] {Q_Q} [Q-Q] {Q-Q} [Q~Q] {Q~Q} [Q.Q] {Q.Q} [QvQ] {QvQ} [QwQ] {QwQ} [QoQ] {QoQ} [Q...Q] {Q...Q}
103 PP P_P (P_P) P-P (P-P) P~P (P~P) P.P (P.P) PvP (PvP) PwP (PwP) PoP (PoP) P...P (P...P)
104 [P_P] {P_P} [P-P] {P-P} [P~P] {P~P} [P.P] {P.P} [PvP] {PvP} [PwP] {PwP} [PoP] {PoP} [P...P] {P...P}
105 ^^ ^_^ (^_^) ^-^ (^-^) ^~^ (^~^) ^.^ (^.^) ^v^ (^v^) ^w^ (^w^) ^o^ (^o^) ^...^ (^...^)
106 [^_^] {^_^} [^-^] {^-^} [^~^] {^~^} [^.^] {^.^} [^v^] {^v^} [^w^] {^w^} [^o^] {^o^} [^...^] {^...^}
107 ;; ;_; (;_;) ;-; (;-;) ;~; (;~;) ;.; (;.;) ;v; (;v;) ;w; (;w;) ;o; (;o;) ;...; (;...;)
108 [;_;] {;_;} [;-;] {;-;} [;~;] {;~;} [;.;] {;.;} [;v;] {;v;} [;w;] {;w;} [;o;] {;o;} [;...;] {;...;}
109 '' '_' ('_') '-' ('-') '~' ('~') '.' ('.') 'v' ('v') 'w' ('w') 'o' ('o') '...' ('...')
110 ['_'] {'_'} ['-'] {'-'} ['~'] {'~'} ['.'] {'.'} ['v'] {'v'} ['w'] {'w'} ['o'] {'o'} ['...'] {'...'}
111 .. ._. (._.) .-. (.-.) .~. (.~.) ... (...) .v. (.v.) .w. (.w.) .o. (.o.) ..... (.....)
112 [._.] {._.} [.-.] {.-.} [.~.] {.~.} [...] {...} [.v.] {.v.} [.w.] {.w.} [.o.] {.o.} [.....] {.....}
113 UU U_U (U_U) U-U (U-U) U~U (U~U) U.U (U.U) UvU (UvU) UwU (UwU) UoU (UoU) U...U (U...U)
114 [U_U] {U_U} [U-U] {U-U} [U~U] {U~U} [U.U] {U.U} [UvU] {UvU} [UwU] {UwU} [UoU] {UoU} [U...U] {U...U}
115 -- -_- (-_-) --- (---) -~- (-~-) -.- (-.-) -v- (-v-) -w- (-w-) -o- (-o-) -...- (-...-)
116 [-_-] {-_-} [---] {---} [-~-] {-~-} [-.-] {-.-} [-v-] {-v-} [-w-] {-w-} [-o-] {-o-} [-...-] {-...-}
117 ~~ ~_~ (~_~) ~-~ (~-~) ~~~ (~~~) ~.~ (~.~) ~v~ (~v~) ~w~ (~w~) ~o~ (~o~) ~...~ (~...~)
118 [~_~] {~_~} [~-~] {~-~} [~~~] {~~~} [~.~] {~.~} [~v~] {~v~} [~w~] {~w~} [~o~] {~o~} [~...~] {~...~}
119 >< >_< (>_<) >-< (>-<) >~< (>~<) >.< (>.<) >v< (>v<) >w< (>w<) >o< (>o<) >...< (>...<)
120 [>_<] {>_<} [>-<] {>-<} [>~<] {>~<} [>.<] {>.<} [>v<] {>v<} [>w<] {>w<} [>o<] {>o<} [>...<] {>...<}
121 ** *_* (*_*) *-* (*-*) *~* (*~*) *.* (*.*) *v* (*v*) *w* (*w*) *o* (*o*) *...* (*...*)
122 [*_*] {*_*} [*-*] {*-*} [*~*] {*~*} [*.*] {*.*} [*v*] {*v*} [*w*] {*w*} [*o*] {*o*} [*...*] {*...*}
124 <(o)_(o)> \[@]_[@]/ <>_<> [(O___O)] (> 0 _0)> (~_~;) (=^.^=) m(_ _)m
126 salutations: o/ \o o7 \o/
128 8====D {|} ,,|,, (. (. ) ( . Y . )