What is emoji?

Emoji are ideograms and smileys used in electronic messages and web pages. Their primary function is to fill in emotional cues otherwise missing from typed conversation.

• History and Evolution: Emoji originated in Japan in the late 1990s. Shigetaka Kurita is credited with designing the first widely used set of emoji for Japanese mobile phones. Over time, they were adopted by other mobile carriers and eventually integrated into the Unicode Standard, allowing for cross-platform compatibility.

• Meaning and Interpretation: While many emoji have relatively clear and universally understood meanings, some are open to interpretation and can vary across cultures and contexts. Emoji Meaning databases and dictionaries offer definitions, but nuanced understanding often comes from social context.

• Unicode Standardization: The Unicode Consortium is responsible for standardizing emoji characters, ensuring that they can be displayed correctly across different operating systems, platforms, and devices. New emoji are proposed and vetted before being added to the Unicode Standard.

• Use in Communication: Emoji are widely used in text messaging, social media, email, and other forms of digital communication. They can convey emotions, add emphasis, or replace words entirely. Effective use of emoji can enhance communication and create a more engaging online experience. However, misinterpretations can occur.

• Design Variations: Although the underlying character code is standardized by Unicode, the visual appearance of emoji can vary depending on the platform and operating system. For example, an emoji may look slightly different on an iPhone compared to an Android device. Platform Variations can sometimes lead to confusion, but are generally minor.