face holding back tears
Unicode: 1F979
Description
A yellow circular face with a slightly open mouth and downturned eyes, often with a single tear rolling down one cheek. It conveys a strong sense of sadness, disappointment, or feeling overwhelmed.
Group:
Smileys & Emotion > face-concerned
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents deep sadness, disappointment, dejection, or feeling like crying. It can also signify being overwhelmed emotionally or feeling heartbroken.
Backstory
This emoji, often referred to as 'Pleading Face' or 'Puppy Dog Eyes,' was introduced in Unicode 11.0 (2018). Its design evokes a sense of vulnerability and a desire for compassion or to elicit sympathy, much like a child or pet's pleading expression.
Usage Examples
- Expressing sadness: 'I'm so sad to hear that 🥺'
- Asking for a favor: 'Can you please help me? 🥺'
- Feeling overwhelmed: 'This week has been so tough 🥺'
- Showing sympathy: 'Oh no, I'm so sorry! 🥺'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Commonly used to express genuine sadness, sympathy, or when feeling let down. Can also be used dramatically for comedic effect.
East Asian culture:
Similar usage to Western culture, perhaps slightly more prone to dramatic or 'cute' expressions of sadness in internet culture.