Japanese Smileys/Alternative Smileys/kaomoji (Face Characters)

According to "Microsoft Computer Dictionary (Pg. 617)", there are different types of computer emotion icon (or emoticons) "which do not require users to tilt their heads sideways, were developed by Internet users in Japan and are becoming more common worldwide. Some versions of these emoticons leave out the () brackets around the faces."

These are the following:

Alternate Smileys

(^_^)

Meaning: male smiley

(^.^)

Meaning: female smiley

(^L^) or (^(^)

Meaning: happy

(-_-)

Meaning: secret smile

(^o^)

Meaning: laughing out loud

(^_^;)

Meaning: laughing to cover nervousness

(^_^)/

Meaning: waving hello

(;_;)/

Meaning: waving good-bye

(^_~) or (^_-)

Meaning: winking

(*^o^*) or (*^.^*)

Meaning: exciting

\(^_^)/

Meaning: joyful

(;_;) or (~~>.<~~)

Meaning: crying

(>.<) or (>_<)

Meaning: angry

(v_v)

Meaning: expressionless

(^o^;>

Meaning: excuse me?

(*^_^*)

Meaning: blushing (or shy)

(^_^;;;)

Meaning: embarrassed (or in a cold sweat)

(?_?)

Meaning: confused (or wondering)

(!_!) or (o_o)

Meaning: shocked

(*_*)

Meaning: frightened (or in love)

(=_=)~

Meaning: sleepy

(u_u)

Meaning: sleeping

(@_@)

Meaning: stunned

'\=o-o=/'

Meaning: wearing glasses

m(_)m

Meaning: humble bow of thanks or apology

Information on book:

Taken from: Microsoft Computer Dictionary
Publication: Redmond, Wash. : Microsoft Corporation, 2002.
ISBN: 0735614954