L'👀 emoji is used for draw attention, to show that you're interested in something, or to express the surprise and the surveillance. Its exact meaning varies depending on the context: seduction, unease, or denial.
Here's everything you need to know about this emoji and how to use it.
You can also find out more by clicking here are the 10 emojis that 9 out of 10 people misunderstand. And you, do you really know them?
To test your knowledge of emojis like 👀, you can take the quiz here :
👀 Meaning: 4 meanings of this emoji eyes
On internet, emojis are organized into categories: smiling faces, hands, body parts, animals, nature, food, travel, places, objects, and symbols. The 👀 belongs to the category parts of the body, along with hands and other physical elements. It is available on all major platforms, although the visual appearance varies slightly depending on the environment.
L'eyes emoji represents a a pair of wide-open eyes. The exact direction of the gaze varies depending on the platform, whether it's on Google, Microsoft, Discord or various mobile systems.
On the technical side, it runs on the code Unicode U+1F440, that is Eyes in English. It was added to the standard Unicode 6.0 in 2010. Its name is then translated and adapted into each language by the project CLDR, which explains all the variations you come across every day. Libraries such as OpenMoji are based on this data CLDR to submit their own renderings.
Note: The "eyes" emoji does not have the same meaning as the "eye" emoji. The "eye" emoji represents sight and vision, while the "eyes" emoji was designed to draw attention. Literally, it can also mean watch, want, monitor Where be interested in something.
You can copy the 👀 emoji directly from this article to use it wherever you want.
Here are his 4 Main Meanings :
Surprise, Attention, and Fiction
You can use this emoji to draw attention your conversation partner's opinion on a specific thing, event, or topic:
- Have you seen the buzz about Marie making headlines?
- Tomorrow's game is going to be hot. Don't forget to check it out!
It expresses both the surprise that the shock :
- Shocked : «What did you say? Do you think you’re better than everyone else? Come on, just look at yourself!»
- Surprised : «No, but if you saw that, I couldn’t believe my eyes!»
It's a a major trend on social media : The 👀 is often used with shocking news or viral content to say, «Check this out.».
Monitoring and Control
This emoji naturally brings to mind the’observation and the surveillance. It can symbolize the control, spying, or keeping an eye on someone.
Conversely, you can use it to express the’feeling like you're being watched. A simple 👀 is enough to get this message across without writing a single word. This trend of replacing words with emojis is very common in French language on messaging apps.
Seduction and Approval
The eyes emoji can also be used to show a a certain attraction toward something or someone, whether it relates to gender, whether it be physical appearance or personality. It plays on a deliberate ambiguity.
- Do you like a photo and you want see more : Reply «Show me more, please» with a 👀.
- When it comes to flirting, you comment on a photo of someone you're interested in: «Very pretty, beware the eyes ! "
In this context, the 👀 is a trend well-positioned to flirt without really committing.
Denial and unease
You can use this emoji whenever you want avoid answering to an inappropriate question, as if you were looking away.
When faced with a comment about your gender, your behavior, or an embarrassing situation—it highlights the malaise without you having to explain yourself.
👀 Meaning of smiley eyes on Snapchat
On Snapchat, this emoji takes on a very different meaning. It no longer expresses surprise, but rather a form of discreet monitoring.
With a subscription Snapchat+, the feature Peek a Peek lets you see when a friend posts a quick look to your Chat group chat or your shared conversation. Specifically, the’👀 emoji appears in your list of Chat, right next to the relevant thread.
You can only spot him by check your feed Chat at the exact moment the person joins the conversation. Once they leave the conversation, the icon disappears.
It's a trend that Snapchat has popularized: using an emoji to signal a discreet action, without an explicit notification.
Other names for the eyes emoji
Depending on the people and the languages, this emoji represents 5 different names :
- Emoji mirettes
- Emoji faraway look
- Emoji eyeballs
- Emoji look
- Emoji large eyes
Every emoji has an official name in the database Unicode. For this one, it's the code U+1F440, under the name Eyes. This name is then translated and adapted into each language as part of the project CLDR, which explains all the variations you come across every day.
Possible combinations of other emojis with the eyes emoji to illustrate expressions
The 👀 emoji takes on a whole new meaning when you combine it with other emojis. Here's a table that summarizes these combinations to express common phrases.
| Phrases | Emoji Combinations | Meaning of expressions |
| Act with eyes closed | 😌👀 | Act with confidence |
| To make Googoo Eyes | 👀🍯 | seek to please |
| Throw dust in the eyes | 👀❇️ | Attempting to amaze through deceptive appearances |
| Do not be cold in the eyes | 👀🧊 | be bold |
| To be pregnant as far as the eye can see | 👀🤰 | Having a very advanced pregnancy |
| Have stars in your eyes | 🤩👀 | be in heaven |
| between four eyes | 👀↔️👀 | In private |
These combinations are mainly used in a message or a chat with friends. You send 🤩👀 when some news makes you ecstatic, or 👀🍯 at a party to tease someone you’re trying to flirt with. Save them for lighthearted conversations: depending on who you’re talking to, the meaning can vary.
Other meanings of emojis that might interest you:
English