See-no-evil monkey emoji ๐ (and ๐ ๐)
๐ ๐ ๐ are the three wise monkeys โ see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil โ from the 17th-century carving at Tลshล-gลซ shrine in Nikkล, Japan.
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What the see-no-evil monkey ๐ (and ๐ ๐) emoji means
๐ ๐ ๐ are the three wise monkeys โ see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil โ from the 17th-century carving at Tลshล-gลซ shrine in Nikkล, Japan. In messages they have drifted from proverb to reaction. ๐ see-no-evil, the monkey covering its eyes, is the most used: embarrassed, canโt look, shy, oops. ๐ hear-no-evil is โI donโt want to hear itโ or blocking out noise. ๐ speak-no-evil is โoops, I said too muchโ, a secret, or a giggle behind the hands. From a girl or a guy, ๐ is almost always coy or playfully mortified; since 2021 the human ๐ซฃ face with peeking eye has taken over some of its work. The monkey emoji guide covers the plain monkeys.
Unicode name: see-no-evil monkey ยท U+1F648 ยท Emoji 0.6 (original set) ยท group: Smileys & Emotion.
How people use it
- Embarrassed (๐): cringe, awkward moments, blushing
- Canโt look (๐): scary or awkward content
- Not listening (๐): ignoring criticism or spoilers
- Oops / secret (๐): a slip of the tongue, gossip
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| see-no-evil monkeyU+1F648 | Eyes covered: embarrassed, canโt look | |
| hear-no-evil monkeyU+1F649 | Ears covered: not listening | |
| speak-no-evil monkeyU+1F64A | Mouth covered: oops, secret | |
| face with peeking eyeU+1FAE3 | Human version, peeking | |
| monkey faceU+1F435 | Plain monkey |
How the see-no-evil monkey covers its eyes
The see-no-evil monkey covers its eyes with its hands, which can make it look a little like a blindfold at a glance. But the monkey is not wearing one โ it is deliberately hiding its face. The pose shows the monkeyโs eyes firmly covered, which is why it works as a shorthand for โIโm not looking.โ
In most chats, the meaning is playful rather than literal. You are not saying you are actually blind; you are saying you cannot look at the message you just read. Sending ๐ after an embarrassing story says โI am hiding my faceโ without a single word.
There is no separate blindfold emoji in the standard set, so some people use the see-no-evil monkey when they want to signal that they are covering their eyes. The face with peeking eye ๐ซฃ is a related option that shows a similar idea.
The monkey covering eyes meme
The see-no-evil monkey is a familiar reaction image for โI wish I hadnโt seen that.โ In memes, it is often paired with text like โwhen you see something you shouldnโt haveโ or โme pretending I didnโt read that.โ The covered eyes make the joke instantly clear, even without a caption.
The monkeyโs pose works across situations because it needs no translation. The hidden eyes communicate the reaction on their own, so the image is easy to reuse in different meme formats. It can read as playful, embarrassed, or deliberately avoiding something.
Questions people ask
What does ๐ mean from a girl?
Playful embarrassment or shyness โ she is a little mortified or flattered. It is one of the flirtier reaction emoji.
What do the three monkey emoji mean?
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil โ a Japanese proverb about ignoring wrongdoing. In chat they mean embarrassed, not listening and oops.
Is ๐ the emo monkey?
โEmo monkeyโ is a nickname some people give it because the monkey looks distressed. Officially it is the see-no-evil monkey.
What does the monkey covering his eyes emoji mean?
It means the see-no-evil monkey, which is used for embarrassment, shyness, or refusing to look at something awkward. In chat it often signals โI canโt lookโ or โIโm so embarrassed.โ
Is there a separate monkey hiding face emoji?
There is no separate monkey hiding face emoji. The phrase usually points to the see-no-evil monkey, which covers its eyes with its hands to show playful avoidance.
When should I use the see-no-evil monkey?
Use it when you want to react to something awkward without typing much. It works for embarrassment, playful โI canโt look,โ or when you are joking about avoiding a message.
What is the difference between the see-no-evil monkey and the face with peeking eye?
The see-no-evil monkey uses a monkey face and covers both eyes with its hands. The face with peeking eye ๐ซฃ is a human face that suggests the same not-looking idea but with a visible peek.
Is the see-no-evil monkey called the blind emoji?
Officially itโs the see-no-evil monkey ๐. It doesnโt represent blindness; itโs a gesture of embarrassment or refusal to look.
What is the hide face emoji?
The see-no-evil monkey ๐ covers its eyes with its hands, so it is used when you want to hide your face. It shows embarrassment, shyness, or that you donโt want to see something. The face with peeking eye ๐ซฃ is a related but distinct emoji.
What does the monkey closing eyes emoji mean?
The monkey closing its eyes emoji ๐ (see-no-evil monkey) means youโre embarrassed, shy, or trying to avoid seeing something. It shows the monkey with hands over its eyes, and is often used in a playful or coy way.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the Emoji Directory editorial team, without ads or sponsorship. Meanings describe how the emoji is commonly used in public posts and messages, not an official definition. Names, code points, versions, keywords and translations come from the Unicode Emoji 18.0 and CLDR data; shortcodes from the gemoji project. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
