World Emoji Day: Say Real, You Really Got Use All These Emojis?
It’s World Emoji Day this weekend (17 July). Emojis are the best way to express yourself without saying (or typing) anything. Like this: ❤️➡️. ✔️♂️(️➕).
Meta recently shared some fun facts on how Singaporeans are using emojis on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp - two of us at Wonderwall.sg (Nicholas and Kai) discuss if these are really ✅ or ❌.
Nicholas: I realise I use emojis a lot. People call me out for using the one. You?
Kai: I use Telegram stickers a lot, but not really emojis. Unless of course, it’s to reply my boomer family group chats on WhatsApp, the messaging app of choice for boomers. My top emoji is the - it’s just so versatile - because I can use it to acknowledge any text, wish someone a good day, or aiya really anything.
Nicholas: Oh yes, the legendary . Also a godsend is being able to react directly to messages. I was when it was first introduced to Telegram, and now that it's on WhatsApp, I can react to family chat groups without really saying anything (finally!)
Fun fact: is the most popular sports emoji on Facebook
Nicholas: Really meh? Maybe I not into the world or my circle of friends don’t go out at all. But I did ask my wife and she said got one or two people.
Kai: I doubt that… I do see cycling enthusiasts post stuff but never use that emoji. My own girlfriend’s dad cycles cross-island every weekend and I’ve never seen him send that in the group chat.
Nicholas: Post photos of their cycling trip across the island got lah .
Kai: After they post, then we react with or . Standard.
Fun fact: ⚽️ is the most popular sports emoji on Instagram
Nicholas: This one I have to say got lah. Friends proudly saying who they support on Insta. Me, I don’t want people to know, very .
Kai: Ya, I see this all the time too, especially when friends have their weekly futsal matches. As for supporting teams, I feel you lah. I have a feeling we both because our team still appointing the big M as captain.
Nicholas: I think what this tells me is I should jio friends for ⚽️. And maybe find a better team to support sia. My wife knows better.
Fun fact: these are the most popular emojis among Singaporeans
Nicholas: I want to know how they know what emojis we use here .
Kai: Big tech knows everything. Good for us because can do an article like this . But it’s true for me, because I see those emojis everyday no matter which social media app I’m on. Singaporeans must love love a lot since there’s two hearts up there lol - or must be watch too much K-drama lah.
Nicholas: Maybe I too boomer as I don’t really see these emojis often. But among my circle of friends, we use more stickers - on WhatsApp, they like to make their own stickers from everyone’s photos . Telegram also, we always use stickers. To me, you’re the sticker leh!
Kai: Haha thank you for the compliment, but I have to give due credit to my girlfriend, because she’s the one I get all my cool stickers from. After all, you and I may be a millennial and Gen-Z respectively, but we’re both boomers at heart.
Popular emojis on WhatsApp
Boomers take ✍️, add these to your next WhatsApp message to seem decades younger:
- Cap = Cap / capping, when someone is lying. Reply with this to show you don’t believe the fella.
- Melting face = Sarcasm, or if you’re melting from Singapore’s heat, or if you are embarrassed.
- Skull = Dying from laughter (ROFL), or used as a “are you serious?” response.
- Holding pen = Taking notes, to show you are attentive to someone’s message or listening to advice.
Nicholas: I like the melting emoji, have been using it since it came out just because it’s so funny. I agree with the multiple meanings too.
Kai: Agreed, I’ve seen it used in almost every context. There’s something just so universal about the melting emoji. The most common one I’ve seen in this list is the skull, it can be used to complain about anything.
Nicholas: Can also be used after getting Covid: “My mother just nagged me ”, the weather cmi , the food sucks ”, and more.
FYI, if you can't see any of the emojis, make sure your OS is updated to the latest one!
Pro tips for emoji use
1. Ending any convo
Not sure how to end off a convo, or don’t want to continue that awkward convo anymore? We gotchu - just give them that wombo combo of .
Nicholas: Because I don’t know what else to reply to my friend, I just leave an appropriate reacc emoji.
Kai: It’s the perfected art of saying something without saying something.
2. The king of being passive aggressive.
This . You think your group mate’s suggestion sucks? Just include in your reply. You want to nudge someone to take initiative? Just say: “Hi can you do this next time thanks ”. The paggro possibilities are endless!
No , we might speak only in emojis in the future. There’s even a website to directly translate English to emojis. Here, we’ll do it right now for you guys:
Nicholas:
Kai:
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