TikTok emoji codes
TikTok has 46 emoji of its own that never appear on your keyboard. You get them by typing a short code in square brackets, such as [smile] or [wicked].
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How TikTok emoji codes work
TikTok ships its own set of small emoji that are not part of the Unicode standard and never appear on a phone keyboard. You reach them by typing a code in square brackets, such as [smile] or [wicked], in a comment, caption, bio or message inside the TikTok app. When you post, TikTok replaces the code with its own image. The set has 46 codes and TikTok does not publish the list itself; the community documented it by testing.
Three things follow from that. The codes only work inside TikTok; paste [cry] anywhere else and it stays as text. They cannot be copied off TikTok as emoji, because they are images. And they are separate from the normal emoji TikTok also supports, which are the standard characters you can copy from this directory and use in any app.
All 46 TikTok emoji codes
| Code | What TikTok shows |
|---|---|
| [smile] | Small pink smiling face |
| [happy] | Peach face, squinting eyes, big open smile |
| [angry] | Red face with furrowed brows |
| [cry] | Blue face with tears streaming down |
| [embarrassed] | Teal, worried face |
| [surprised] | Peach face with wide eyes and open mouth |
| [wronged] | Sad yellow face with pointing fingers |
| [shout] | Purple face with open mouth and fangs |
| [flushed] | Yellow face with blushing cheeks |
| [yummy] | Pink face, tongue out, thumbs up |
| [complacent] | Blue face in sunglasses with a small smile |
| [drool] | Pink drooling face with heart eyes |
| [scream] | Blue face screaming |
| [weep] | Light blue face crying |
| [speechless] | Teal face with a sweat drop |
| [funnyface] | Pink winking face with tongue out |
| [laughwithtears] | Pink laughing face with tears |
| [wicked] | Purple grinning face with horns |
| [facewithrollingeyes] | Pink face rolling its eyes |
| [sulk] | Red frowning face |
| [thinking] | Yellow face, hand on chin |
| [lovely] | Pink face blowing a kiss |
| [greedy] | Peach face with dollar-sign eyes |
| [wow] | Dumpling with a surprised face |
| [joyful] | Dumpling with a big smile |
| [hehe] | Dumpling with a small, sideways smile |
| [slap] | Dumpling with X eyes and a slap mark |
| [tears] | Dumpling with streams of tears |
| [stun] | Dumpling, scared, mouth open, sweat drop |
| [cute] | Dumpling with big adorable eyes |
| [blink] | Winking face with a heart |
| [disdain] | Angry dumpling with bags under its eyes |
| [astonish] | Grey face, mouth open, brows furrowed |
| [rage] | Red face with steam from the ears |
| [cool] | Dumpling in sunglasses |
| [excited] | Dumpling laughing hard |
| [proud] | Dumpling looking down, smirking |
| [smileface] | Dumpling with wide eyes and a small smile |
| [evil] | Purple dumpling with fangs and a grin |
| [angel] | White dumpling with wings and a halo |
| [laugh] | Dumpling, eyes closed, tears streaming |
| [pride] | Dumpling with a kissy mouth and raised eyebrow |
| [nap] | Dumpling asleep with a snot bubble |
| [loveface] | Dumpling with hearts for eyes |
| [awkward] | Dumpling with upturned eyes and a sweat drop |
| [shock] | Blue face with angry eyes and open mouth |
Descriptions are of TikTok’s own artwork, which is not reproduced here. Codes are typed exactly as shown, lowercase, with the brackets; a typo leaves the text unchanged.
Standard emoji work on TikTok too
Anything in this directory pastes into TikTok as normal, so for a reaction that also works on Instagram, WhatsApp or X, use the standard character. The cards at the top of this page are the everyday equivalents of the most-used codes: 😊 for [smile], 😂 for [laughwithtears], 😈 for [wicked], 😱 for [scream], 🤔 for [thinking]. The nerd emoji and side eye emoji guides cover two reactions that are TikTok staples in their own right.
- Open a comment box, caption or bio field in the TikTok app.
- Type the code with its square brackets, e.g. [wicked].
- Post. TikTok swaps the code for its image. If it stays as text, check the spelling and that you are inside the app, not on the website.
Emojis on TikTok live
TikTok Live chat supports the same bracketed emoji codes as regular comments. Typing [laughwithtears] during a stream replaces the text with the image for everyone watching, which makes the hidden set useful for live reactions.
Standard emojis also work in live chat and are often easier for a mixed audience to read, since they appear the same way on every device. Creators frequently add emojis to live titles and descriptions, and the host can pin a comment with an emoji to highlight it.
There is no separate set of TikTok Live emojis beyond what the app already supports. The same 46 codes and standard characters are available in comments, captions, bios and live chat, though gifts and stickers are a different system.
TikTok emoji memes
TikTok’s hidden emoji codes have quietly become their own meme format. When a comment shows a face that is not on any keyboard, the effect is part of the joke, and users trade the codes like inside knowledge. A well-placed [shock] or [cry] can replace a long reaction, and the fact that the codes stay invisible on other platforms adds to the humour.
Standard emojis carry TikTok meme meanings too. The skull emoji often means “I laughed so hard I died”, and the side eye emoji is used to call out awkward or suspicious behaviour. Pairing these with the TikTok-specific codes, like [thinking] for a drawn-out pause, gives a comment a layered tone.
Some of the most shared TikTok memes start with one of the 46 codes pasted into a caption or duet. Because the image only renders inside TikTok, sharing the same post to Instagram or X can turn the code back into plain text, which is itself a recurring sight in screenshots.
Questions people ask
Do TikTok emoji codes work on Instagram or in texts?
No. They are replaced with images only inside the TikTok app. Elsewhere the bracketed text stays as typed.
Can I copy TikTok’s emoji?
Not as characters. They are images owned by TikTok. You can copy the code (for use in TikTok) or a standard emoji with a similar meaning from this directory.
Are there more than 46 codes?
The community-documented set is 46. TikTok does not announce additions, so new ones occasionally surface; this list reflects the codes verified against two published lists in 2026.
What does TT stand for in TikTok emoji?
TT is a common shorthand for TikTok, so when someone says TT emoji they mean the same thing as TikTok emoji: either the hidden shortcode images or the standard emojis people use on the app.
Are TikTok emojis called Tik Tok emotes?
Some users call them Tik Tok emotes, using the platform’s older styling. Tik Tok emoji codes, or Tik Tok emotes, are two informal names for the same bracketed shortcuts like [smile] that TikTok replaces with images.
What is the tick tock emoji?
The tick tock emoji refers to the hidden emojis that appear when you type a shortcode in square brackets, like [smile] or [shock], inside the TikTok app. They only display there; elsewhere the text stays as typed.
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. Facts were checked against the sources listed above. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
