The Real Meaning Behind 11 Of The Weirdest Emojis
If we were to hazard a guess at what your most used emojis are, we’d go along the lines of the kissing face, the winking face and the unicorn, right? Right.
And while they’re undoubtedly great choices yadda yadda yadda, it’s probably time to branch out a bit – which might be why now’s a good time to discover the real meaning behind 11 of the weirdest emojis that you've seen hanging around, but have always been a little bamboozled by.
1.Thered and white flame thing
This emoji’s nestled away in the Symbols section between the Japanese Symbol for Beginner (yes really) and the Recycling Symbol, and whilst you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for a spikey postbox or a piece of tofu on fire, it’s actually a Name Badge. Slightly less exciting, but there you go.
2.Theblue tube
Is it a hamster tube? Is it a water bottle with two holes? Is it an emoji you’ve never used?
No, no, yes. It’s an oil drum, everybody.
3. Theswirly white thing
Real talk: we all see this emoji on a daily basis because it’s next to the pizza, and whileit might look like a doily your nan might like or a Hubba Bubba chewing gum, it’s actually a ‘fish cake with swirl design’. Oh right.
4. This water tank
Whilewe’re still questioning why a baguette emoji hasn’t been created as yet, the latest iOS update instead graced the world with the ‘Alembic’ emoji - a ‘spherical vessel with a long, downward pointing neck’, used for distilling liquids.
Useful for the scientists among us – everyone else, probably less so.
5. This big blue button
Think this emoji is a Star Wars or mythical mind reader reference? Think again. It’s actually the ‘trackball’ or ‘trackpad’ emoji, to go alongside the keyboard, mouse, computer and laptop emoticons in the keyboard.
6. This scary red mask
Seeing as there’s already a devil emoji, nobody *really* knows what this one means (until you look it up and realise it’s a Japanese goblin, that is.)
7. This triangular black and white thing
Admittedly a little more obvious when it’s not the size of a doll'sfinger nail, but this emoji isn’t actually the igloo with a door like you were expecting, but a ‘rice ball’ wrapped in seaweed.
8. TheiPhone with an arrow
OK, OK so the actual emoji itself isn’t confusing – we all know it’s a phone with an arrow on the left hand side – but what does it actually mean?
Err, it’s ‘intended to be used for an incoming phone call, but could also indicate anything on the device itself’, apparently. So next time you’re telling someone about the scratch on your phone? There’s an emoji for that.
9. Thelock and pen conundrum
Like the iPhone emoji saga, it’s the meaning behind this one that’s weird af -because the padlock and a fountain pen is supposed to relate to a ‘key signing’.
Know what that is? Us neither.
10. The red steam
Commonly mistaken for the ‘Did I leave the hob on?’ emoji (or is that just us?), this symbol really means ‘Hot Springs’ or ‘steam rising from a circular tub’. Same thing. Sort of.
11. The building with a 'H' and a heart
Nope, this isn’t a hospital or a hostel – the exact description says it’s a ‘Love Hotel’ which is ‘is a hotel that can be hired by the hour instead of as accomodation for the evening.
Well, you did ask.