The same emoji can carry different meanings depending on the cultural context of the country.
If you are working in a global company or with international customers, it’s essential to be aware of these variations to ensure effective and respectful communication across cultures.
Hand Gestures & People
| Emoji | General Meaning | Country/Cultural Variations |
|---|---|---|
 Folded Hands | Prayer, thanks | – India/Nepal: “Namaste” greeting – Japan: “Please” or “thank you” – West: “High five” or prayer |
 OK Hand | “Perfect,” agreement | – Brazil/Turkey: Offensive. Like  – France: “Zero” – Japan: “Money” – Turkey: “Colon, intercourse and insult” |
 Love-You Gesture | “I love you” (ASL) | – USA: Deaf culture sign – Spain: Adultery – Korea: “Heart” (in K-pop) |
 Pinched Fingers | Italian gesture | – Argentine/Italy: “What?” agressive or emphasis – Malta: “Delicious” – Israel: “Hold on, be patient” |
 Pinching | Small amount | – Spain/France: “A little” – China: Mocking stinginess |
 Open Hands | Receiving, prayer | – Middle East: “Dua” (supplication) – West: “Gimme” |
 Thumbs Up | Approval | – Iran/Afghanistan: Offensive – Germany: “One” (counting) |
 Waving Hand | Hello/goodbye | – China/Korea: “Come here” (palm down) |
 Victory/Peace | Peace, “V” sign | – UK/Australia: Backhand = offensive – Japan: “Peace” in photos |
 Raised Hand | Stop, high five | – Greece: “Moutza” (insult if pushed forward) |
 Raised Backhand | “Hold on” | – West: Neutral – Arab cultures: Can imply “wait” sternly |
 Crossed Fingers | Luck | – Vietnam: Genitals (offensive) – West: “Hope” |
 Bowing | Apology, respect | – Japan/Korea: Deep bow = formal – West: Sarcastic apology |
 Dancing Women | Fun, party | – Japan: “Bunny girls” (hostess clubs) – West: “Girls’ night out” |
 Nail Polish | Beauty, vanity | – Gen Z: “I don’t care” (sassy) – Drag culture: Flamboyance |
Symbols & Nature
| Emoji | General Meaning | Country/Cultural Variations |
|---|---|---|
 Fire | Hot, trendy | – Nigeria: “This is fire!” (slang) – Middle East: Literal fire (caution) |
 Droplet | Water, tears | – Japan: “Hard work” (sweat) – Medical contexts: Blood drop |
 Snowflake | Cold, winter | – USA: “You’re fragile” (insult) – Canada/Russia: Literal weather |
 Love Hotel | Romantic meetup | – Japan: Short-stay hotels – Other: May confuse as a hospital |
 100 | Perfection | – USA: “Keep it 100” (realness) – Middle East: School grade |
 Toilet | Restroom | – Japan: Common signage – West: Crude humor – UK: Woman crush |
 Monkey | Playfulness | – China: “Stupid” (term of endearment) – India: Hanuman (sacred) |
 Dog | Loyalty | – China: “Lucky” (Year of the Dog) – Islam: Dogs = impure (some sects) |
 See-No-Evil | Embarrassment | – Japan: One of the Three Wise Monkeys – West: “I can’t unsee that” |
 Goat | Stubbornness | – USA: “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time) – Christianity: Sin symbol |
 Snake | Deceit | – Bible: Temptation – China: Wisdom (Zodiac) – UK: Backstabber |
 Bee | Hard work | – USA: “Busy as a bee” / Beyonce – UK: “Honey” (term of endearment) |
Food & Objects
| Emoji | General Meaning | Country/Cultural Variations |
|---|---|---|
 Eggplant | Vegetable | – Global: Male genitalia (sexual) – Middle East: Avoid in polite chat – Japan: Lucky |
 Peach | Fruit, buttocks | – USA/Europe: “Ass” (flirtatious) – China: Longevity symbol |
 Lemon | Sourness | – Turkey: “Unlucky” – Italy: “Useless” (like a bad car) |
 Avocado | Healthy food | – Mexico: National symbol – USA: Millennial trend |
 Croissant | Breakfast | – France: National pride – USA: “Basic” lifestyle – Europe: Oposition to Brexit |
 Money-Mouth | Greed, wealth | – West: Obsession with money – India: “Lakshmi” (goddess of wealth) |
Faces & Emotions
| Emoji | General Meaning | Country/Cultural Variations |
|---|---|---|
 Slight Smile | Polite happiness | – Asia: Masking discomfort – West: Passive-aggressive |
 Halo | Innocence | – USA: Sarcastic “angelic” claim – Christianity: Literal holiness – China: Death |
 Pile of Poo | Scatological humor | – Japan: Lucky charm – West: “This sucks” |
 Tears of Joy | Extreme laughter | – Global: Overuse = cringe (Gen Z) – Japan: Cute exaggeration – China: Frustration |
 Moon Face | Shyness | – USA: “Dark humor” or sarcasm – Middle East: Romantic moonlit nights |
 Smirking | Suggestion, slyness | – West: Flirting – Arab cultures: Mischief |
 Horned Smile | Mischief, evil | – USA: “Devilish fun” – Christianity: Literal Satan |
