Friends
“this room smells 🤢”
Friend disgust-coded share. Mirror with another 🤢 or 🤮 so the gross chain reads back.
Unicode: U+1F922
Shortcodes: :sick:
Feeling sick, disgusted, or something is gross. The 'that's revolting' face.
The 🤢 Nauseated Face emoji was added in Unicode 8 (2015) and is drawn as a green face with squinted eyes and a frown, tongue slightly sticking out. The visual cue reads instantly as sick-coded disgust, revolted-coded reaction, or the visible 'that's gross' tag. By 2026 🤢 has become the go-to emoji for the sick-coded reaction, the visible disgust default, and the 'that's revolting' coded reaction in close-friends and family chats.
In modern chat 🤢 does very specific work. People send it as a literal sick-coded reaction, as the visible 'that's gross' tag, or as the disgust-coded reaction. The green face is the visual cue that the read is sick-coded. Writers should pick 🤢 when the read is nauseated-coded disgust or visible 'gross' energy, and avoid it when the read is sad-coded — 😢 fits better there.
🤢 lands on a friend's 'did you see that bathroom' message, in a work channel where someone is signaling disgust-coded energy, and in a dating-app DM where the sender is reacting to something gross. The green face anchors the read.
In close-friends chats 🤢 reads as the universal nauseated default and the visible 'gross' tag. On X the emoji punctuates disgust-coded and sick-coded tweets. The emoji pairs with 🤮 for the layered vomit stack and with 😖 for the layered confused-and-sick stack.
Skip 🤢 in any context where the read is sad-coded only. The green face implies sick-coded disgust. Avoid 🤢 in medical advice contexts where the sick-coded read could read as dismissive.
If a friend sends 🤢 on a disgust-coded message, mirror with another 🤢 or 🤮 to match the gross energy. The disgust chain reads as solidarity.
If 🤢 lands as the sick-coded default, reply with another 🤢 or 🤧. And if you want to send 🤢 yourself, pair it with the moment so the disgust-coded read is clear.
🤢 means nauseated-coded disgust, visible 'gross' energy, or the sick-coded reaction. The green face is the visual cue that the read is sick-coded.
Sometimes. 🤢 reads as playful-coded flirty in a dating thread combined with 'that is so sweet I might throw up' content.
From a girl or anyone, 🤢 carries the same disgust-coded read. There is no gendered meaning; the emoji works the same regardless.
In Slack, 🤢 rarely lands because it is too sick-coded. Use a sentence instead; reserve 🤢 for clearly gross-coded contexts.
Feeling physically nauseous or sick.
Example: “Food poisoning 🤢”
Something is disgusting or off-putting.
Example: “That take is gross 🤢”
Exaggerated disgust at something mildly unpleasant.
Example: “Pineapple on pizza 🤢”
Disgust at someone's behavior.
Example: “He said what? 🤢”
Common reaction to controversial takes. Reply to visual-cue-coded and adult-coded tweets; the emoji reads as the universal visual-cue default across adult audiences.
Used in reaction videos and disgusting content.
Used in comments showing disgust. Sticker default on aesthetic-coded captions and story overlays; the visual cue carries across adult-coded audiences.
Group-chat reaction to sick-coded content; the green face is the default 'gross' tag among close-friends groups.
Used dramatically for mild disgust or cringe.
Uses for both physical sickness and disgust.
Primarily interprets as physical illness.
“this room smells 🤢”
Friend disgust-coded share. Mirror with another 🤢 or 🤮 so the gross chain reads back.
“lunchroom leftovers day three 🤢”
Work-coded disgust share. Mirror with a clarifying sentence — 🤢 can land as off-topic in work channels.
“you are so sweet I might throw up 🤢”
Dating-coded playful-coded share. Mirror with 🤢 or 🤮 so the warm chain reads back.
“grandma's cooking experiment 🤢”
Family-coded playful share. Mirror with 🤢 or 😂 so the family-coded chain reads back.
“monday morning energy 🤢”
Public adult-coded disgust share. Mirror with another 🤢 or ☕ so the solidarity chain reads back.
Shocked, surprised, or mind-blown. Genuine astonishment.
Calling someone (or yourself) a fool. 'Look at this clown' or self-deprecating humor about your own mistakes.
Yeehaw-coded energy, sad-cowboy-coded restraint, or 'howdy partner' charm.
The classic 'LOL' emoji - shows something is hilarious. Seen as outdated by Gen Z.
Sending love/kisses. More romantic than friendly, but used broadly.
Shows shock, disbelief, or being completely shook. Rarely actual fear.
Universal eye-roll meaning annoyance, dismissiveness, or 'here we go again'.
Determined. Frustrated, grinding, hyped, or motivational — depends on whether the speaker is mad or fired up.