smiling face with tear
Unicode: 1F972
Description
A yellow circular face with a slightly open mouth, as if sighing or exhaling, and closed, relieved-looking eyes. It can also appear to be looking down while smiling.
Group:
Smileys & Emotion > face-affection
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents relief, exhaustion, serenity, peacefulness, or a 'whew' feeling after a difficult situation. It can also convey a sense of calm, contentment, or being underwhelmed.
Backstory
This emoji was introduced in Unicode 12.0 (2019) as part of a batch of new facial expressions. It filled a gap for expressions related to relief and calmness, providing a more nuanced 'sighing' emotion than previously available emojis.
Usage Examples
- Expressing relief: 'Finally home after a long day! 😮💨'
- After finishing a task: 'Project done! 😮💨'
- Feeling serene: 'This quiet morning... 😮💨'
- Subtle thanks or 'no big deal': 'Got it done, no worries 😮💨'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Commonly used to express a sigh of relief, tiredness after an effort, or a sense of peace after a long day.
East Asian culture:
Can also be used to show a quiet appreciation or a gentle smile, sometimes representing a subtle form of happiness or a 'no problem' attitude.