see-no-evil monkey
Unicode: 1F648
Description
A monkey face with its hands covering its eyes, part of the 'See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil' proverb.
Group:
Smileys & Emotion > monkey-face
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Represents 'see no evil,' often used to convey embarrassment, shyness, disbelief, surprise, or a playful 'oops' moment. Can also imply turning a blind eye to something.
Backstory
The monkey emoji 🙈 originates from the Japanese proverb 'Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru' (See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil), often depicted by three wise monkeys. This emoji specifically represents Mizaru. It was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010.
Usage Examples
- Embarrassment: 'I can't believe I said that 🙈'
- Shyness/Cuteness: 'You're too kind 🙈'
- Playful avoidance: 'I didn't see that spill... 🙈'
- Disbelief/Cringing: 'Did you see that? 🙈'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Frequently used for playful embarrassment, 'I didn't see that!', or cutesy shyness.
East Asian culture:
Directly linked to the Three Wise Monkeys proverb, embodying the principle of looking away from bad things or ignoring negative information. Also used for shyness or innocence.