By Emie Marulanda
*This article is part of a series. You may find it helpful to check out our other articles on common slang used by our kids, text codes, or other search engine terms that have become part of our culture in the digital age.
It’s no secret that scrolling through social media, texting friends, and using apps for online chatting are big parts of your pre-teen or teenager’s life. And it’s unfortunate that a lot of the content that they come across is often sexually motivated, and texting or chatting can sometimes turn into sexting.
Do you know what emojis your kids are using in texting, social media, and online gaming chats, and what they mean?
Here are some of the most common used emojis of 2022:
General Slang Emojis
These emojis have more general slang word meanings behind them rather than sexual slang.
?
= emoji slang for Marijuana/weed
= puffing or smoking a juul, weed, or cigarette. Fat clouds which means a big puff of smoke
= a plug which means someone who deals marijuana or other drugs
= “I’m dead”; dying from extreme laughter, frustration, or affection
= tea; spill the tea. To share or reveal gossip
= chef’s kiss which means something is really good
? = a stamp of approval; “I agree”
? = used in response to a snarky or “savage” comment (as in, “That was cold”)
? = cap, meaning a lie or lying
?? = no cap, meaning no lie or not lying
? = acting like a clown. Used when getting caught in a mistake or when feeling like a fraud; clown behavior
?
= being “ghosted” (dumped from a relationship with no explanation)
?️??️= an individual who witnessed the recording of a bizarre, funny, or cringey TikTok video; staring in shock, disgust, or confusion.
= red flag. Used to indicate finding an undesirable trait in a relationship; when someone easily loses their temper, etc.
?
= straight fax, no printer. Fax means facts. It’s a play on words and is a way of heavily agreeing with something/someone. They’re only speaking the facts
= being unbothered; nonchalance and confidence or used to shut down an argument with a fact or statement
= caught in 4k; to be incriminated with concrete digital evidence, typically on social media/on film. 4k is a high-quality camera setting that creates a clear picture. This emoji is
also used on Instagram to give photo credit to whoever took the picture (example: 
: @instagramuser)
= gold digger
= silly, goofy mood
= party time, turn up, dancing
= implies “queen” or “king” status, much like being a “baller” or a “G”
? = used on TikTok to express wanting something portrayed in the video. This means you want them to take your money
Sexual Emojis
These emojis have sexual subliminal messages behind them.
= oral sex
= orgasm
= vagina
? or 
= vagina. Kitty, cat, or pussy is slang for female private parts
or 
= penis
= testicles or balls
or 
= discharge, vaginal wetness, semen
= nut, meaning male ejaculation
= boobs; breasts
= butt
? = brain or head which means giving/getting head, meaning oral sex
? = desiring someone sexually (often used in response to nudes)
? = “dump truck,” which refers to a large and/or shapely bottom; big butt
? = represents nudes, which are often called “noods” used to ask for nude pictures to be sent via social media or text
?️ = Indicates “spiciness,” i.e. inappropriate or risque content
= blood, when a woman is on her period
? = represents “porn,” especially on TikTok. They use corn as a code word for porn
? = filming porn or watching porn
⏳ = used when someone has an “hourglass” body shape
= feeling frisky or naughty; in the mood to have a sexual encounter with someone
= very horny
? = “hot” in a sexual sense; a kid might comment this on their crush’s Instagram selfie, for example
= scissoring or lesbian sex
= homosexual or LGBTQIA+
= tossing the salad, oral sex to a women, or female mastrubation
= flipping the bean, oral sex to a women, or female masturbation
= eating or oral sex. Combine this with any one of these: 
= tented pants or a boner
= hard wood, when a penis is hard; a boner
= sexual intercourse
= humping or sexual intercourse
= 6 and 9. A sexual intercourse position
= cowboy. A sexual intercourse position when the women is on top
= vulva
= slippery drip or sexual intercourse. Can also mean sliding into someones DMs
– touching sexually
= nipple stimulation
Finding messages containing many of these emojis on your kids’ phone or on their social media can be shocking. To get conversations started with your kids about these topics, check out our books: 30 Days of Sex Talks; How to Talk to Your Kids About Pornography, (also available in Spanish), and 30 Days to a Stronger Child.
*This article serves as an updated dictionary of emojis that are used when they are digitally communicating and what the message/meaning is behind each emoji. This is an updated version of our previous article on this topic.
Emie Marulanda is a student at Brigham Young University-Idaho who is currently studying Marriage and Family Studies. She is passionate about empowering parents to empower their kids for a bright, healthy future.
