moose
Unicode: 1FACE
Description
A yellow face with a small, circular mouth wide open, indicating surprise, shock, or a silent scream. Sometimes depicted with raised eyebrows.
Group:
Animals & Nature > animal-mammal
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents surprise, shock, astonishment, awe, or a silent scream. Can also convey being speechless, aghast, or simply observing something amazing or alarming.
Backstory
This emoji was introduced in Unicode 6.0 (2010). Its design is simple yet effective in conveying a sudden intake of breath or speechlessness due to an unexpected event. It's a versatile emoji for expressing various forms of surprise.
Usage Examples
- Receiving unexpected news: 'Wait, what?! 😮'
- Seeing something amazing: 'That view is incredible! 😮'
- Expressing shock: 'You did what?! 😮'
- A silent scream of exasperation: 'I can't believe this just happened. 😮'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Commonly used for genuine surprise, shock, or a silent expression of disbelief. Can also be used humorously to exaggerate a reaction.
East Asian culture:
Similar usage to Western culture, often used to express strong surprise or 'OMG' moments, sometimes with a comedic undertone.