The Guide

A rock and roll sign made with a hand

Metal Horns

Metal horns are a symbol of strength and power.. and you probably thought they meant that... or "rock & roll baby!"

Wrong!

In countries like Brazil, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Colombia and Argentina, the “metal horns” can indicate that the person was cheated on by their partner.

a slightly-smiling emoji

Smile

A smile emoji can portray many different emotions.

Check it out!

The smiling face does not always mean happiness. in China the smile emoji can portray distrust, disbelief, or someone humoring you. It can also convey an ironic tone of voice.

A poo with eyes

The poo Emoji

You probably thought there could only be one meaning for this one!

Wrong!

In Japan the poo emoji actually means goodluck! In Japanese the words for poo and luck sound alike!

So when your Japanese friend says "Hope the test goes well ." They really mean it!

A thumbs up emoji

Thumbs Up

It is one of the most common gestures out there. It is used to say "good job" or "ok" and couldn't possibly offend andyone..right...right?

Wrong!

In Turkey and Greece the thumbs up emoji and gesture are considered obscene! It could even be considered as offensive as the middle finger.

A hand waving emoji

The waving hand Emoji

You probably thought it meant: hello or goodbye

Wrong!

In China the waving hand emoji means that you are ending a friendship!

two hands with the palms touching point up

Hands together

Praying is pretty obvious right? In most countries it just means to pray. Most people see this as a universal emoji!

Thanks!

In Japan the praying emoji actually means "thank you". The emoji is also often used when asking for forgiveness or saying sorry.

an emoji of a bilding with a cross

The Hospital Emoji

You probably thought it meant: hospital How could this mean anything else?

Wrong!

In Japan the hospital emoji actually means hotel. Not just any hotel, it is often used to refer to a "Love hotel" or a hotel designed specifically for couples to use for a "short stay" usually only a couple of hours.

So becareful or you might end up lonely in China!

a hand with the thumb and index fingers touching the nails and the oders fingers up

The OK Emoji

You probably thought it meant: ok

Watch out!

In Brazil and Turkey, the “OK” hand gesture is considered as an insult, and is equivalent to giving the middle finger in America. In addition there are many different meanings connected to the use of this emoji!

a emoji of claping hands

The Clapping Emoji

The clapping emoji commonly used to congratulate, or to let someone know you appreciate them. You also probably just thought it meant someone clapping.

Warning!!

In China the clapping emoji has a completly different meaning! Clapping has a much more "sexualized" meaning. It is used to refer to getting intimate with someone!

a angel emoji

The Angel Emoji

This is an emoji commonly used to express someone's goodwill or kindness. You probably thought it just meant: innocence or just an angel.

Wrong!

In China the Angel emoji actually means death!