FAQ & Help

❔ What does the word "Emoji" mean in Japanese?

絵 = Picture, pronunciation [e] 文字 = Character, pronunciation [moji]
絵文字 = Emoji, singular and plural in Japanese (Picture + Character= Emoji)
In English you can use Emoji or Emojis. The Unicode Consortium uses Emoji for singular and plural.

❔ What are Unicode Emojis?

Unicode Emojis are colored pictographs (pictorial symbols).
Single Unicode characters have 1354 Emojis. Other 235 symbols contain two Emojis. For example:
👁️‍🗨️ eye in speech bubble = 👁️ eye + 🗨️ left speech bubble
Unicode Emoji Symbols have 1780 modifiers (skin-tone, male / female version of a single Emoji)
For example: 🤷🏽 person shrugging: medium skin tone = 🤷 person shrugging + 🏽 medium skin tone
Unicode Flag Emojis have a total of 269 flags.
In 2022 Unicode has a total of 3633 colored Emojis.


❔ What to do if your operating system doesn't support newer emojis?

If you use an older operating system, you can download the Firefox browser. It supports the recent
emoji symbols that were added in 2020. Newer operating systems need patience until the next update 🤔.


❔ What is the difference between emojis and emoticons?

Unicode uses the colored symbols as emojis. An emoticon is a simple text/letter/numbers or other signs based face character.

The following images show the difference between emoji and emoticon:
The Unicode 😏 Smirking Face and with punctuation marks :‑, Smirking Face Emoticon:
 

  

❔ How to get new emojis on your 📱 smartphone or 💻 computer?

If you wish a new emoji that doesn't exist in Unicode standard. You can try to submit a proposal for a new emoji.

For more information about Submitting Emoji Proposals:
Submitting Emoji Proposals

Brief summary of requirements (for Submitting Emoji Proposals):
You need to submit your name or names (if more than one person), CLDR short name with keywords, images: one colored and one black&white
(in Zip file, with license) size: 18x18 and 72x72 pixels, proposed sort location for the emoji in Emoji Ordering: for example:
⚪ white circle, ⚫ black circle, 🔴 red circle (⚫ black circle is between white and red circle),
evidence for frequency: the new symbol should have demand.

Example of 18x18 image

Example of 72x72 image

❔ One Emoji, different looks, why?

Every operating system (Apple: IPhone, Macintosh, Microsoft: Windows and Google: Android) has its own images.
⚠: A Google Android user has different images compared to a Samsung Android user.
Social networks such Twitter or Facebook have their own emoji designs.

❔ I see only letters instead of flags on Microsoft Windows, why?
Microsoft Windows doesn't support the flag designs 😥.


❔ Who invented the first Emoji?
The Japanese interface designer Shigetaka Kurita.

❔ Is Emoji a new language?
For the Unicode Consortium Emoji isn't a language, for some 📱 smartphone users is Emoji a language. With more than 3000 symbols
it is possible to use Emojis for many statements. Example of a short phrase in Emoji: 😷: 👑🦠 ➡ 🗺


📝 If you have any questions, you can ask using contact form or social media networks.


More ℹ information:

Emoji: Everything You Need To Know About Them

Unicode about Emoji 

Frequently Asked Questions Unicode