:'(Crying Emoticons & Kaomoji
Crying kaomoji come in two styles: Western sideways emoticons you read by tilting your head, like :'( and :,(, and upright Japanese faces such as T_T and ;_;. Tap any tearful classic below to copy it, then paste it into a chat, post, or message.
16 Western · 39 kaomoji
Crying Emoticons
Western emoticons are read sideways ( :) ); kaomoji are read upright ( ^_^ ).
About these emoticons
Crying text faces turn tears into typography. Western ones like :'( are read sideways, where that little apostrophe is a tear rolling down the cheek, while upright Japanese kaomoji stack characters into a whole weepy expression. Look at (；へ；): the two semicolons are streaming eyes and the へ is a trembling, downturned mouth — no image, sticker, or app required, just plain characters you can type anywhere.
People reach for these when words alone feel too flat: reacting to sad news in a group chat, captioning a bittersweet Instagram post or bio, piling into a Discord thread after a rough loss, or leaving a heartfelt comment on a forum. A dramatic sob like ﾟ(つд`ﾟ) plays the moment for laughs, while a quiet :,( slips genuine disappointment into a message without over-explaining it.
The tone flexes with the face you pick. An over-the-top wail reads as playful exaggeration among friends, while a single restrained tear comes across as sincere. Tap any face to copy the plain Unicode, then paste it wherever text goes — it stays the exact same characters across apps and phones, with no formatting to break along the way.
Frequently asked questions
- When should I use a crying kaomoji instead of a crying emoji?
- Text faces like (✿╥﹏╥) carry a retro, hand-typed charm a standard emoji can't — they read as playful or heartfelt depending on the face. Reach for one when you want a crying reaction that feels more personal, or a little tongue-in-cheek.
- What's the difference between the Western and Japanese crying faces here?
- Western ones like :'( are read sideways, with the apostrophe standing in for a tear. Japanese kaomoji such as (；へ；) sit upright and face you directly, packing eyes and mouth into one expressive picture. Both copy as plain text.
- How do I copy and paste these crying faces on my phone?
- Tap any face to copy it, then long-press the text box in your app and choose Paste. It works the same on iPhone and Android, and in Instagram, Discord, and most messaging apps.
- Is it free to use these crying kaomoji?
- Yes. Every face is free to copy and paste as many times as you like — no account, sign-up, or download needed.