rightwards hand
Unicode: 1FAF1
Description
A yellow circular face with downturned eyes and a flat, closed mouth, often depicted with visible teeth or a slightly wider expression, indicating a contained or sheepish smile.
Group:
People & Body > hand-fingers-open
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents a sheepish or embarrassed smile, awkwardness, shyness, or a subtle acknowledgment of a minor faux pas. It can also convey slight amusement or an 'oops' moment.
Backstory
This emoji was introduced in Unicode 14.0 (2021) as part of a continued effort to include more nuanced facial expressions in the emoji set. Its design aims to capture the specific human expression of a contained, somewhat embarrassed smile, which was previously less specifically represented.
Usage Examples
- Acknowledging a minor slip: 'Oops, I forgot about that! 😬'
- Expressing mild embarrassment: 'Got caught staring, lol 😬'
- Conveying awkwardness: 'This meeting is a bit awkward 😬'
- Reacting to a playful tease: 'You got me 😬'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Commonly used to indicate mild embarrassment, awkward laughter, or a 'my bad' type of reaction. Less intense than a full grimace.
East Asian culture:
May align with the concept of a 'nervous laugh' or politely acknowledging a mistake without overt distress. Can express humbleness or quiet amusement.