Face with open mouth emoji 😮 (the wow emoji)
😮 is the face with open mouth, the plain “wow” or gasp emoji: round eyes, small “o” mouth, no eyebrows raised.
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What the face with open mouth 😮 (the wow) emoji means
😮 is the face with open mouth, the plain “wow” or gasp emoji: round eyes, small “o” mouth, no eyebrows raised. It is surprise at its mildest — interest, a small shock, “oh really?” — which is why it is Facebook’s Wow reaction. Its quieter twin 😯 hushed face has raised eyebrows and reads as “whoa” or stunned silence. For bigger shocks the scale runs 😲 astonished, then 😱 screaming, then 🤯 mind blown; the shocked emoji guide compares them all.
Unicode name: face with open mouth · U+1F62E · Emoji 1.0 (2015) · group: Smileys & Emotion.
How people use it
- Wow: reacting to news, a reveal, a good photo
- Gasp: “no she didn’t 😮”
- Oh: realising something, “😮 that makes sense”
- Whoa (😯): stunned, speechless, impressed
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| face with open mouthU+1F62E | Wow, gasp, mild surprise | |
| hushed faceU+1F62F | Whoa; quieter, eyebrows up | |
| astonished faceU+1F632 | Shocked, stunned | |
| face screaming in fearU+1F631 | Screaming — shock or excitement | |
| exploding headU+1F92F | Mind blown |
The wow emoji meme and OMG reactions
The face with open mouth 😮 is a staple of reaction memes. When someone shares shocking news or a plot twist, the go-to response is often this emoji paired with a simple “OMG”. That’s why it works as an “OMG” reaction in many chats — it carries the same energy without spelling out the letters.
On meme pages, the open mouth meme is used to caption moments of disbelief: a friend’s dramatic story, a surprise announcement, or an unexpected reveal. The meme format typically shows the emoji next to a screenshot or caption, with its mouth wide open matching the shock in the text. The 😮 meme is a quick visual shorthand for “I’m shocked”.
Amazed, awe and the sound of surprise
Beyond a simple wow, 😮 works for moments of amazement and awe — when something leaves you awestruck. When something leaves you with your mouth agape, 😮 captures that exact moment: the mouth drop, the wide eyes, the brief loss for words. It works for a stunning view, an incredible performance, or a mind-blowing fact.
It also captures the sound of surprise — the “ooh” you make when impressed. Drop it into a message: “Ooh, that’s a great idea 😮”. The wide-open mouth and slack jaw point to the same visual: a face caught mid-gasp, before any words come out.
Questions people ask
Which emoji is the wow emoji?
😮 face with open mouth. It is the emoji Facebook uses for its Wow reaction, and the plain gasp everywhere else.
What is the difference between 😮 and 😯?
😮 has a neutral brow and is surprise; 😯 hushed face has raised eyebrows and is more stunned or speechless.
What is the difference between 😮 and 😲?
😲 astonished face has wider eyes and a larger mouth: a bigger shock. 😮 is the everyday “oh wow”.
What does 😮💨 mean?
The face with open mouth combined with the dashing away 💨 often means being blown away or shocked, as if the breath has been taken away. It can show that something was so surprising it left you speechless.
Is it “woah emoji” or “whoa emoji”?
The emoji usually meant is 😮 face with open mouth, which is used to express surprise or awe. 😯 hushed face is similar and can also work for quiet shock.
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.
