# Emoticon :)

*Not to be confused with emoji.*

Emoticon (emotion icon) is a short group of text characters that together by their look resemble a simple picture, very often a facial expression (but also other common symbols), for example `:-)`, `O_O` or `=[`. Emoticons are used to communicate feelings and emotions in text-only communication, such as Internet chat, where body language is missing to provide this function. Emoticons are different from emoji (which serve basically the same purpose but are true, small pictures inserted in text) and smileys (smiling faces, both emoticon and emoji).

History of emoticons reaches far back before computers, possibly even to 17th century; invention of emoticons in computer communication is generally attributed to american Scott Fahlman who, as a teacher in 1982, suggested to mark jokes on the school BBS with `:-)`, exactly for the reason that some people didn't get jokes because of the absence of body language.

Using Unicode in emoticons is considered cheap cheating, so we won't do that here, pure ASCII emoticons are best. There are literal emoji pictures in Unicode so if you allow its use, you can just use that and not bother with emoticons. Also multi-line emoticons don't count, that's already ASCII art.

There are different types of emoticons, mainly **western**, which are 90 degrees flipped, e.g. `:-)` or `:{` (the nose symbol is sometimes missing), and **eastern**, which are not flipped, e.g. `<[o_o]>` or `(^.^)`. Western ones can additionally also be flipped, e.g. `(-:` instead of `:-)`, but doing it is not very common.

Here are some emoticons:

```
        :            ;            =            8            B            X
)   :)  :-) :o)  ;)  ;-) ;o)  =)  =-) =o)  8)  8-) 8o)  B)  B-) Bo)  X)  X-) Xo)
    :') :^) :~)  ;') ;^) ;~)  =') =^) =~)  8') 8^) 8~)  B') B^) B~)  X') X^) X~)
(   :(  :-( :o(  ;(  ;-( ;o(  =(  =-( =o(  8(  8-( 8o(  B(  B-( Bo(  X(  X-( Xo(
    :'( :^( :~(  ;'( ;^( ;~(  ='( =^( =~(  8'( 8^( 8~(  B'( B^( B~(  X'( X^( X~(
|   :|  :-| :o|  ;|  ;-| ;o|  =|  =-| =o|  8|  8-| 8o|  B|  B-| Bo|  X|  X-| Xo|
    :'| :^| :~|  ;'| ;^| ;~|  ='| =^| =~|  8'| 8^| 8~|  B'| B^| B~|  X'| X^| X~|
/   :/  :-/ :o/  ;/  ;-/ ;o/  =/  =-/ =o/  8/  8-/ 8o/  B/  B-/ Bo/  X/  X-/ Xo/
    :'/ :^/ :~/  ;'/ ;^/ ;~/  ='/ =^/ =~/  8'/ 8^/ 8~/  B'/ B^/ B~/  X'/ X^/ X~/
\   :\  :-\ :o\  ;\  ;-\ ;o\  =\  =-\ =o\  8\  8-\ 8o\  B\  B-\ Bo\  X\  X-\ Xo\
    :'\ :^\ :~\  ;'\ ;^\ ;~\  ='\ =^\ =~\  8'\ 8^\ 8~\  B'\ B^\ B~\  X'\ X^\ X~\
{   :{  :-{ :o{  ;{  ;-{ ;o{  ={  =-{ =o{  8{  8-{ 8o{  B{  B-{ Bo{  X{  X-{ Xo{
    :'{ :^{ :~{  ;'{ ;^{ ;~{  ='{ =^{ =~{  8'{ 8^{ 8~{  B'{ B^{ B~{  X'{ X^{ X~{
}   :}  :-} :o}  ;}  ;-} ;o}  =}  =-} =o}  8}  8-} 8o}  B}  B-} Bo}  X}  X-} Xo}
    :'} :^} :~}  ;'} ;^} ;~}  ='} =^} =~}  8'} 8^} 8~}  B'} B^} B~}  X'} X^} X~}
[   :[  :-[ :o[  ;[  ;-[ ;o[  =[  =-[ =o[  8[  8-[ 8o[  B[  B-[ Bo[  X[  X-[ Xo[
    :'[ :^[ :~[  ;'[ ;^[ ;~[  ='[ =^[ =~[  8'[ 8^[ 8~[  B'[ B^[ B~[  X'[ X^[ X~[
]   :]  :-] :o]  ;]  ;-] ;o]  =]  =-] =o]  8]  8-] 8o]  B]  B-] Bo]  X]  X-] Xo]
    :'] :^] :~]  ;'] ;^] ;~]  ='] =^] =~]  8'] 8^] 8~]  B'] B^] B~]  X'] X^] X~]
O   :O  :-O :oO  ;O  ;-O ;oO  =O  =-O =oO  8O  8-O 8oO  BO  B-O BoO  XO  X-O XoO
    :'O :^O :~O  ;'O ;^O ;~O  ='O =^O =~O  8'O 8^O 8~O  B'O B^O B~O  X'O X^O X~O
P   :P  :-P :oP  ;P  ;-P ;oP  =P  =-P =oP  8P  8-P 8oP  BP  B-P BoP  XP  X-P XoP
    :'P :^P :~P  ;'P ;^P ;~P  ='P =^P =~P  8'P 8^P 8~P  B'P B^P B~P  X'P X^P X~P
p   :p  :-p :op  ;p  ;-p ;op  =p  =-p =op  8p  8-p 8op  Bp  B-p Bop  Xp  X-p Xop
    :'p :^p :~p  ;'p ;^p ;~p  ='p =^p =~p  8'p 8^p 8~p  B'p B^p B~p  X'p X^p X~p
D   :D  :-D :oD  ;D  ;-D ;oD  =D  =-D =oD  8D  8-D 8oD  BD  B-D BoD  XD  X-D XoD
    :'D :^D :~D  ;'D ;^D ;~D  ='D =^D =~D  8'D 8^D 8~D  B'D B^D B~D  X'D X^D X~D
3   :3  :-3 :o3  ;3  ;-3 ;o3  =3  =-3 =o3  83  8-3 8o3  B3  B-3 Bo3  X3  X-3 Xo3
    :'3 :^3 :~3  ;'3 ;^3 ;~3  ='3 =^3 =~3  8'3 8^3 8~3  B'3 B^3 B~3  X'3 X^3 X~3
C   :C  :-C :oC  ;C  ;-C ;oC  =C  =-C =oC  8C  8-C 8oC  BC  B-C BoC  XC  X-C XoC
    :'C :^C :~C  ;'C ;^C ;~C  ='C =^C =~C  8'C 8^C 8~C  B'C B^C B~C  X'C X^C X~C
c   :c  :-c :oc  ;c  ;-c ;oc  =c  =-c =oc  8c  8-c 8oc  Bc  B-c Boc  Xc  X-c Xoc
    :'c :^c :~c  ;'c ;^c ;~c  ='c =^c =~c  8'c 8^c 8~c  B'c B^c B~c  X'c X^c X~c
S   :S  :-S :oS  ;S  ;-S ;oS  =S  =-S =oS  8S  8-S 8oS  BS  B-S BoS  XS  X-S XoS
    :'S :^S :~S  ;'S ;^S ;~S  ='S =^S =~S  8'S 8^S 8~S  B'S B^S B~S  X'S X^S X~S
*   :*  :-* :o*  ;*  ;-* ;o*  =*  =-* =o*  8*  8-* 8o*  B*  B-* Bo*  X*  X-* Xo*
    :'* :^* :~*  ;'* ;^* ;~*  ='* =^* =~*  8'* 8^* 8~*  B'* B^* B~*  X'* X^* X~*
1   :1  :-1 :o1  ;1  ;-1 ;o1  =1  =-1 =o1  81  8-1 8o1  B1  B-1 Bo1  X1  X-1 Xo1
    :'1 :^1 :~1  ;'1 ;^1 ;~1  ='1 =^1 =~1  8'1 8^1 8~1  B'1 B^1 B~1  X'1 X^1 X~1

        :            ;            =            8            X
)   ):  )-: )o:  );  )-; )o;  )=  )-= )o=  )8  )-8 )o8  )X  )-X )oX
    )': )^: )~:  )'; )^; )~;  )'= )^= )~=  )'8 )^8 )~8  )'X )^X )~X
(   (:  (-: (o:  (;  (-; (o;  (=  (-= (o=  (8  (-8 (o8  (X  (-X (oX
    (': (^: (~:  ('; (^; (~;  ('= (^= (~=  ('8 (^8 (~8  ('X (^X (~X
|   |:  |-: |o:  |;  |-; |o;  |=  |-= |o=  |8  |-8 |o8  |X  |-X |oX
    |': |^: |~:  |'; |^; |~;  |'= |^= |~=  |'8 |^8 |~8  |'X |^X |~X
/   /:  /-: /o:  /;  /-; /o;  /=  /-= /o=  /8  /-8 /o8  /X  /-X /oX
    /': /^: /~:  /'; /^; /~;  /'= /^= /~=  /'8 /^8 /~8  /'X /^X /~X
\   \:  \-: \o:  \;  \-; \o;  \=  \-= \o=  \8  \-8 \o8  \X  \-X \oX
    \': \^: \~:  \'; \^; \~;  \'= \^= \~=  \'8 \^8 \~8  \'X \^X \~X
{   {:  {-: {o:  {;  {-; {o;  {=  {-= {o=  {8  {-8 {o8  {X  {-X {oX
    {': {^: {~:  {'; {^; {~;  {'= {^= {~=  {'8 {^8 {~8  {'X {^X {~X
}   }:  }-: }o:  };  }-; }o;  }=  }-= }o=  }8  }-8 }o8  }X  }-X }oX
    }': }^: }~:  }'; }^; }~;  }'= }^= }~=  }'8 }^8 }~8  }'X }^X }~X
[   [:  [-: [o:  [;  [-; [o;  [=  [-= [o=  [8  [-8 [o8  [X  [-X [oX
    [': [^: [~:  ['; [^; [~;  ['= [^= [~=  ['8 [^8 [~8  ['X [^X [~X
]   ]:  ]-: ]o:  ];  ]-; ]o;  ]=  ]-= ]o=  ]8  ]-8 ]o8  ]X  ]-X ]oX
    ]': ]^: ]~:  ]'; ]^; ]~;  ]'= ]^= ]~=  ]'8 ]^8 ]~8  ]'X ]^X ]~X
O   O:  O-: Oo:  O;  O-; Oo;  O=  O-= Oo=  O8  O-8 Oo8  OX  O-X OoX
    O': O^: O~:  O'; O^; O~;  O'= O^= O~=  O'8 O^8 O~8  O'X O^X O~X
q   q:  q-: qo:  q;  q-; qo;  q=  q-= qo=  q8  q-8 qo8  qX  q-X qoX
    q': q^: q~:  q'; q^; q~;  q'= q^= q~=  q'8 q^8 q~8  q'X q^X q~X
C   C:  C-: Co:  C;  C-; Co;  C=  C-= Co=  C8  C-8 Co8  CX  C-X CoX
    C': C^: C~:  C'; C^; C~;  C'= C^= C~=  C'8 C^8 C~8  C'X C^X C~X
c   c:  c-: co:  c;  c-; co;  c=  c-= co=  c8  c-8 co8  cX  c-X coX
    c': c^: c~:  c'; c^; c~;  c'= c^= c~=  c'8 c^8 c~8  c'X c^X c~X
S   S:  S-: So:  S;  S-; So;  S=  S-= So=  S8  S-8 So8  SX  S-X SoX
    S': S^: S~:  S'; S^; S~;  S'= S^= S~=  S'8 S^8 S~8  S'X S^X S~X
*   *:  *-: *o:  *;  *-; *o;  *=  *-= *o=  *8  *-8 *o8  *X  *-X *oX
    *': *^: *~:  *'; *^; *~;  *'= *^= *~=  *'8 *^8 *~8  *'X *^X *~X
1   1:  1-: 1o:  1;  1-; 1o;  1=  1-= 1o=  18  1-8 1o8  1X  1-X 1oX
    1': 1^: 1~:  1'; 1^; 1~;  1'= 1^= 1~=  1'8 1^8 1~8  1'X 1^X 1~X

>-)  :))  :^}  :'-(  B{|}  >:(  xD

      _           -           ~           .           v           w           o           ...
OO   O_O  (O_O)  O-O  (O-O)  O~O  (O~O)  O.O  (O.O)  OvO  (OvO)  OwO  (OwO)  OoO  (OoO)  O...O  (O...O)
    [O_O] {O_O} [O-O] {O-O} [O~O] {O~O} [O.O] {O.O} [OvO] {OvO} [OwO] {OwO} [OoO] {OoO} [O...O] {O...O}
oo   o_o  (o_o)  o-o  (o-o)  o~o  (o~o)  o.o  (o.o)  ovo  (ovo)  owo  (owo)  ooo  (ooo)  o...o  (o...o)
    [o_o] {o_o} [o-o] {o-o} [o~o] {o~o} [o.o] {o.o} [ovo] {ovo} [owo] {owo} [ooo] {ooo} [o...o] {o...o}
Oo   O_o  (O_o)  O-o  (O-o)  O~o  (O~o)  O.o  (O.o)  Ovo  (Ovo)  Owo  (Owo)  Ooo  (Ooo)  O...o  (O...o)
    [O_o] {O_o} [O-o] {O-o} [O~o] {O~o} [O.o] {O.o} [Ovo] {Ovo} [Owo] {Owo} [Ooo] {Ooo} [O...o] {O...o}
00   0_0  (0_0)  0-0  (0-0)  0~0  (0~0)  0.0  (0.0)  0v0  (0v0)  0w0  (0w0)  0o0  (0o0)  0...0  (0...0)
    [0_0] {0_0} [0-0] {0-0} [0~0] {0~0} [0.0] {0.0} [0v0] {0v0} [0w0] {0w0} [0o0] {0o0} [0...0] {0...0}
QQ   Q_Q  (Q_Q)  Q-Q  (Q-Q)  Q~Q  (Q~Q)  Q.Q  (Q.Q)  QvQ  (QvQ)  QwQ  (QwQ)  QoQ  (QoQ)  Q...Q  (Q...Q)
    [Q_Q] {Q_Q} [Q-Q] {Q-Q} [Q~Q] {Q~Q} [Q.Q] {Q.Q} [QvQ] {QvQ} [QwQ] {QwQ} [QoQ] {QoQ} [Q...Q] {Q...Q}
PP   P_P  (P_P)  P-P  (P-P)  P~P  (P~P)  P.P  (P.P)  PvP  (PvP)  PwP  (PwP)  PoP  (PoP)  P...P  (P...P)
    [P_P] {P_P} [P-P] {P-P} [P~P] {P~P} [P.P] {P.P} [PvP] {PvP} [PwP] {PwP} [PoP] {PoP} [P...P] {P...P}
^^   ^_^  (^_^)  ^-^  (^-^)  ^~^  (^~^)  ^.^  (^.^)  ^v^  (^v^)  ^w^  (^w^)  ^o^  (^o^)  ^...^  (^...^)
    [^_^] {^_^} [^-^] {^-^} [^~^] {^~^} [^.^] {^.^} [^v^] {^v^} [^w^] {^w^} [^o^] {^o^} [^...^] {^...^}
;;   ;_;  (;_;)  ;-;  (;-;)  ;~;  (;~;)  ;.;  (;.;)  ;v;  (;v;)  ;w;  (;w;)  ;o;  (;o;)  ;...;  (;...;)
    [;_;] {;_;} [;-;] {;-;} [;~;] {;~;} [;.;] {;.;} [;v;] {;v;} [;w;] {;w;} [;o;] {;o;} [;...;] {;...;}
''   '_'  ('_')  '-'  ('-')  '~'  ('~')  '.'  ('.')  'v'  ('v')  'w'  ('w')  'o'  ('o')  '...'  ('...')
    ['_'] {'_'} ['-'] {'-'} ['~'] {'~'} ['.'] {'.'} ['v'] {'v'} ['w'] {'w'} ['o'] {'o'} ['...'] {'...'}
..   ._.  (._.)  .-.  (.-.)  .~.  (.~.)  ...  (...)  .v.  (.v.)  .w.  (.w.)  .o.  (.o.)  .....  (.....)
    [._.] {._.} [.-.] {.-.} [.~.] {.~.} [...] {...} [.v.] {.v.} [.w.] {.w.} [.o.] {.o.} [.....] {.....}
UU   U_U  (U_U)  U-U  (U-U)  U~U  (U~U)  U.U  (U.U)  UvU  (UvU)  UwU  (UwU)  UoU  (UoU)  U...U  (U...U)
    [U_U] {U_U} [U-U] {U-U} [U~U] {U~U} [U.U] {U.U} [UvU] {UvU} [UwU] {UwU} [UoU] {UoU} [U...U] {U...U}
--   -_-  (-_-)  ---  (---)  -~-  (-~-)  -.-  (-.-)  -v-  (-v-)  -w-  (-w-)  -o-  (-o-)  -...-  (-...-)
    [-_-] {-_-} [---] {---} [-~-] {-~-} [-.-] {-.-} [-v-] {-v-} [-w-] {-w-} [-o-] {-o-} [-...-] {-...-}
~~   ~_~  (~_~)  ~-~  (~-~)  ~~~  (~~~)  ~.~  (~.~)  ~v~  (~v~)  ~w~  (~w~)  ~o~  (~o~)  ~...~  (~...~)
    [~_~] {~_~} [~-~] {~-~} [~~~] {~~~} [~.~] {~.~} [~v~] {~v~} [~w~] {~w~} [~o~] {~o~} [~...~] {~...~}
><   >_<  (>_<)  >-<  (>-<)  >~<  (>~<)  >.<  (>.<)  >v<  (>v<)  >w<  (>w<)  >o<  (>o<)  >...<  (>...<)
    [>_<] {>_<} [>-<] {>-<} [>~<] {>~<} [>.<] {>.<} [>v<] {>v<} [>w<] {>w<} [>o<] {>o<} [>...<] {>...<}
**   *_*  (*_*)  *-*  (*-*)  *~*  (*~*)  *.*  (*.*)  *v*  (*v*)  *w*  (*w*)  *o*  (*o*)  *...*  (*...*)
    [*_*] {*_*} [*-*] {*-*} [*~*] {*~*} [*.*] {*.*} [*v*] {*v*} [*w*] {*w*} [*o*] {*o*} [*...*] {*...*}

<(o)_(o)>  \[@]_[@]/  <>_<>  [(O___O)]  (> 0 _0)> (~_~;) (=^.^=)  m(_ _)m

salutations:  o/  \o   o7   \o/

NSFW: 8====D   {|}   ,,|,,   (. (. )   ( . Y . )   /!\

@}->--  <3   </3

SOS: ...---...

hitler: :=)
```

## See Also

- xd