Emojis have revolutionized digital communication, providing us with fun shortcuts to express a whole range of emotions. But when it comes to dating, certain emojis take on a more suggestive meaning. As a tech analyst fascinated by how we interact in the digital world, I decided to dive into the phenomenon of flirty and sexualized emoji usage between romantic interests.
This guide will walk you through the nuanced meanings of popular flirty emojis, backstories on how they evolved as digital shorthand, and tips for using emojis properly when navigating 21st century dating. Consider this your handbook for decoding emojis from your crush or partner, so you can better understand the language of modern courtship.
The Evolution of Flirty Emojis
Emojis first emerged in the late 1990s in Japan, but didn‘t make their way to U.S. phones until 2011. Since then, they‘ve become a ubiquitous part of digital communication. The Oxford Dictionary even dubbed 😂 the Word of the Year in 2015.
Given emojis‘ popularity for expressing emotion, it didn‘t take long for people to find flirty and sexual uses for certain images. By late 2012, emojis were being widely used for innuendo-laced flirting and sexting. Some of the first emojis to gain suggestive status were:
- 🍆 Eggplant for penis
- 🍑 Peach for buttocks
- 🍒 Cherries and 🎈 Balloons for breasts
- 👅 Tongue for oral sex
This flirty code soon expanded across platforms like Tinder, Snapchat, and Instagram DMs. Today, the 🍆 eggplant emoji receives over 2 million uses per day on Twitter alone – often in sexually suggestive contexts.
According to a 2019 survey by sex toy brand Lelo, 52% of Americans report using emojis for sexting and innuendo-laden flirting. What was once digital subtext became mainstream, and emojis continue evolving new hidden meanings.
Why We Use Emojis to Flirt
The question emerges – why did certain emojis get sexualized in online flirting in the first place? As a tech analyst, I have a few theories:
1. Ease of communication – Flirty emojis provide convenient shortcuts for communicating attraction and sexual interest. They‘re quick, accessible digital imagery.
2. Humor and levity – The playful, absurd nature of emoji innuendo lightens the mood. Flirting takes on a fun, game-like dynamic.
3. Deniability – If an emoji comes across as too forward, you can claim you "just meant it as a joke." They provide room for backtracking.
4. Subtext – Emojis convey subtext and nuance beyond the literal meanings of words. This lets people hint at deeper layers of desire or intent.
5. Familiarity – Once flirty emojis become part of the cultural lexicon, their implicit meanings feel universal. This breeds further use.
For better or worse, emojis have become engrained in modern dating life, shaping how we communicate attraction and interest. Their use mirrors broader trends in digital-first human connection. With emoji literacy, we can all become fluent in this important new language.
Matching Emojis to Their Hidden Meanings
Building off what we‘ve covered, let‘s break down some of the most popular flirty/suggestive emojis with examples of what they intend to convey in context:
Gesture Emojis
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👉👌 – The fingers penetrating the hole gesture unequivocally represents sexual intercourse. Send sparingly and only with intimate partners.
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👋 – A friendly wave can take on flirty overtones with romantic prospects, conveying excitement to interact. Send when trying to say "Hello, beautiful!" without words.
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👉👈 – The back-and-forth finger pointing denotes shyness, apology, or hesitation. Guys send it to girls when they want to flirt but lack confidence to make a bolder move.
Face Emojis
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😏 – The classic smirking face says someone‘s being smug or self-assured, often with sexual undertones. It‘s the emoji equivalent of lowering sunglasses and raising an eyebrow.
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😳 – A bright red blush signifies embarrassment but conveys bashful excitement when flirting. Sends the message of, "You‘re making me flushed and I like it!"
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😉; – A cheeky wink fits perfect for playful flirting. Its irony and kitschiness takes the edge off expressions of attraction.
Symbol Emojis
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💦 – The splashing sweat droplets convey bodily fluids and sexual arousal. Invokes climactic images. Use with discretion to avoid going overboard.
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🔥 – The fire emoji turned into slang for calling someone hot and attractive. Flame someone to acknowledge their good looks in a flirty way.
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🍑 – While officially a peach, this emoji became code for a desirable rear end. Peach it out with romantic partners who‘ll appreciate the compliment.
Emoji Combos
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👅🍆 – Tongue plus eggplant = oral sex. This direct combo leaves little to the imagination. Reserve for established sexual connections.
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🍆💦👅 – Eggplant, sweat droplets and tongue paint a vivid, if crude, picture of a blowjob. Too overt for new flings.
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👀🍆 – Eyes on the prize. This combo conveys checking someone out and liking what you see. Flirty while still fairly subtle.
Flirty Emoji Stats and Data
To back up my analysis above, data reveals fascinating insights into how people actually use emojis in romantic and sexual contexts:
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According to a 2019 study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior, both men and women use the 🍆 eggplant emoji most often when flirting and sexting.
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Research by Marissa Harrison of Penn State University found people perceive receiving 🍆🍑👅 from romantic interests as positive attention, but see unknown senders of the emoji combo as creepy. Context matters.
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A survey by sex toy company Lelo found 67% of female emoji users have sent the 👅 tongue emoji, often in suggestive flirting contexts.
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Per a 2016 study in Social Psychological and Personality Science, both women and men accurately interpret common flirty emoji meanings like 😏 and 🍆🍑 in text conversations. Our perceptions align.
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According to 2020 research by The Kinsey Institute, use of flirtatious emojis increases sexual interest and arousal for both genders. Emoji flirting works.
This data demonstrates people tend to interpret flirty emoji meanings consistently in dating contexts. The numbers don‘t lie – emojis increase intimacy when used properly between romantic interests.
Tips for Flirting With Emojis
Now that we‘ve covered the meaning behind flirty emojis, I want to provide some best practices for using them effectively as a tech analyst:
For guys
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Don‘t open with overtly sexual emojis – build rapport first.
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Pay attention to her emoji use and reciprocate accordingly. Match her vibe.
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Be playful but avoid going overboard with emojis early on.
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If she doesn‘t respond to an emoji, don‘t keep using it without consent.
For girls
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Consider your comfort level before engaging in emoji-based innuendo. Don‘t feel pressured.
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Keep it fun! The best flirty emojis express humor and lightness.
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Reply to his emojis to affirm interest and give the green light.
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Speak up if an emoji crosses a line so he learns your boundaries.
Flirting with emojis takes practice and awareness. When in doubt, ease into emoji flirting slowly and gauge comfort levels before ramping things up. With the right touch, you‘ll unlock emoji mastery in no time!
Looking Ahead
While emojis can lack nuance, they provide an exciting new linguistic layer in modern dating. Our digital vocabulary continues expanding. As a tech analyst, I‘ll be tracking how emoji communication evolves in years to come, and may write a whole dictionary on flirty emoji definitions one day!
For now, feel equipped to better navigate emoji flirting armed with these insights. May your next texting crush session unfold smoothly thanks to understanding those blushing smileys, tongue-out winks, and well-placed eggplants. The digital world of dating just got a little simpler.
