Holding up two fingers (index and middle) in a photo, known as the V-sign, generally means peace or victory, originating from WWII, but in East Asia (especially Japan/Korea), it's a popular, cute pose for photos to look happy and to make faces look slimmer, influenced by figures like American skater Janet Lynn in the 70s. However, with the palm facing inward (towards you), it's a rude gesture in the UK and some Commonwealth countries, similar to the middle finger.
The contemporary V-sign — two fingers, palm toward the viewer — originated during World War II as a symbol of victory over Nazism (the V-sign with the palm oriented toward the signer is an older, ruder gesture, whose origins are unclear).
This sign came to mean "peace" or "friend", used around the world by peace and counter-culture groups; popularized in the American peace movement of the 1960s. The commonality with the symbol's use from the 1940s was its meaning the "end of war".
Raising two fingers in a 'V' shifted in meaning from 'Victory' to 'Peace. ' Track the change from World War II to the Vietnam War eras. A hand gesture made by raising the index and middle finger with the palm of the hand facing out is known as the “V-sign,” and is commonly associated with a message of peace.
The majority of people agree that it means 'shy'. As if you were twiddling your fingers together, nervously. The emojis can often be paired with the 🥺emoji too, for extra nervous vibes. The emoji sequence can be used if you're about to ask someone a soft, yet risky question, or if you're just feeling really shy.
The salute is performed with the middle and index fingers extended and touching each other, while the ring and little fingers are bent and touched by the thumb. The tips of the middle and index fingers touch the peak of the cap, the two fingers have been interpreted as honour and fatherland (Honor i Ojczyzna).
👉👈 — Fingers pointing at each other express shyness or nervousness (usually in the context of flirting). 🐙 — The octopus emoji is used as slang for a hug or virtual hug.
The gesture was devised by Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy as a salute for the alien Vulcan species, and is popular within the science fiction fandom and nerd culture. The blessing phrase "live long and prosper" (written by Theodore Sturgeon) is frequently spoken alongside it.
Since 2020 this emoji has been known to be combined with the 🥺 Pleading Face and the 👉 Backhand Index Pointing Right to indicate a bashful or shy pose (🥺👉👈), also often called a "simp" pose.
The 🤌 (pinched fingers) emoji means “What do you want?” in Italian. Italians are known for speaking with their hands, and the pinched finger gesture is most associated with the phrase, Ma che vuoi? (“What do you want?”).
Predominantly known today as the ✌️ Peace Sign, this gesture was originally called the Victory Hand or V Sign due to its association with the Allies' victory in World War II. Commonly used to express peace, positivity, or goodwill, and frequently appears in posed photographs.
The 😊 (Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes) emoji isn't inherently flirty; it usually means happiness, warmth, or agreement, but it can become flirty depending on the context, the conversation's tone, and if paired with flirtier emojis like 😉 or 😏, acting as a sweet, blushing acknowledgment in a flirty exchange rather than the main flirtation itself.
What Does 🤗 Mean? This emoji has two different meanings depending on how you interpret what the smiley face is doing. If you think the face is making a hugging gesture, you will use it as encouragement, love, or support.
The peace-sign now is used by everyone in Japan from kids to their grandparents, across generations. Just like in English, “Say cheese!” is a common line when taking photos, in Japan they say, “Peace!” while posing.
If asked, most people would gloss the meaning as 'F—you' or something similar, and it was certainly a very potent offensive gesture until recent years when it seems to be losing its ability to offend.
Typically, people will hold up 4 fingers to signify that they're off the market—they're not looking to date anyone else right now. They might have just gotten into a relationship, or they may be pining after 1 specific person. This is especially popular on TikTok right now.
👉👈 — Shy, nervous (usually in the context of flirting) 🧿 — Represents warding off the “evil eye” 🧠 — Oral sex. 💦 — Ejaculation. 👅 — May indicate sexual activity, especially oral sex.
uwu (/ˈuːwuː/), also stylized UwU, is an emoticon representing a cute face. The u characters represent closed eyes, while the w represents a cat mouth. It is used to express various warm, happy, or affectionate feelings. Stylized uwu emoticon as a blushing face.
🤟 (Love-You Hand) Emoji
The Love-You hand emoji is often confused with the 🤘 emoji, which is often used to say “Rock on!” You can tell these two emojis apart because the love emoji has the thumb pointing outward in the shape of the letter “L” as in “love.” Example Text: “Plane's about to take off! Love you!! 🤟”
More than just “hang loose”: The shaka hand gesture represents aloha spirit, love and local pride. Flash a closed hand with the thumb and pinkie sticking out, and every Hawaii resident knows what it means. Used by everyone from kids to elders, the “shaka” represents aloha spirit, love and local pride.
What does 🌶️ mean? 🌶️ indicates “spiciness,” i.e., inappropriate or risqué content. Emojis like this are often used for sexting. For more information on the meaning of emojis, check out our emoji slang guide.
The not-so-subtle, but totally-flirty hug 🤗
Smileys can definitely be used in a strictly platonic fashion, but when you use them in sentences that can be taken as flirty, there's an added sense of excitement as your crush tries to decipher if you're trying to really flirt or not.
The 👁️👄👁️ emoji from a girl usually means she's speechless, surprised, or witnessing something awkward, funny, or unbelievable, expressing a "can't believe this" vibe, often with resignation like "it is what it is," or sometimes a slightly judgmental "wow, okay" without being overtly mean, just observing. It's versatile for awkward situations, shocking truths, or when something is so wild you don't know what to say.