Everything You Need to Know About the 🫨 Shaking Face Emoji

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Shake off your confusion by learning how to use & respond to 🫨

Co-authored by Devin McSween Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: July 26, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Meanings
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• Responses
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• Pairings
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• Origins
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• Related Emojis

|Show more |Show less

You open up your phone to a text from your friend that’s punctuated with the 🫨 (head shake) emoji. If you’re not quite sure what the head shake emoji (also called the shaking face emoji) is trying to say, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll tell you what this little face means, how to respond to it, and how to pair it with other emojis to make its meaning clear. Read on to learn more!

Things You Should Know

• The 🫨 (head shake) emoji represents literal shaking, whether that’s from an earthquake or volcanic eruption, loud music, or a rollercoaster.
• Use the 🫨 (shaking face) emoji when you’re feeling emotionally shook, like when you’re surprised, angered, infatuated, or bursting with excitement.
• The 🫨 (head shake) emoji can also mean that you’re feeling dizzy, sick, or seeing double.

Steps

Section 1 of 5:

🫨 (Head Shake) Emoji Meanings

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1. 
   1
   Send 🫨 when you are physically shaken up. When you’re left literally shaking, fire off this emoji to let your friends or family know what you’re going through. You might send it after being shaken and jostled by an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or tsunami, while you’re rocking out at a concert, or right after you get off a bumpy rollercoaster.

   • “That was a big quake! Did you feel that? 🫨”
   • “I’m standing right next to the band, I can’t believe it! 🫨”
   • “Not sure I enjoyed that ride…🫨”
2. 
   2
   Express shock, anger, infatuation, or disbelief with 🫨. When strong emotions have you feeling figuratively shook, text your pals the shaking face emoji to say, “I can’t believe this” or “No way!” Maybe you’re surprised that a mutual friend ghosted plans with the group chat, mad that a coworker didn’t make their shift on time, or head over heels for a new date.

   • “Cynthia never texted me that she wouldn’t be able to make it…🫨”
   • “I had to work my shift alone because Jake showed up late again. 🫨”
   • “That was the best date I’ve ever been on. 🫨 I need to see her again.”
   • “I did not see that twist coming! 🫨 Total game changer.”
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3. 
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   Use 🫨 to express your excitement or anticipation. Sometimes your excitement is uncontainable, leaving you buzzing and bouncing off the walls. If you’re looking forward to hanging out with a friend or jetting off on a much-deserved vacation, the head shake emoji perfectly captures your boundless enthusiasm.

   • “I’m so excited to see you!!! 🫨”
   • “T-10 days until the trip of a lifetime!! 🫨 I’ve already packed my bag lol”
   • “He said he planned the most romantic date for me! I can’t wait! 🫨”
4. 
   4
   Text 🫨 when you are feeling dizzy or unwell. If you’re experiencing some vertigo, nausea, or lightheadedness, or you’re shivering from a cold, the head shake emoji shows someone exactly how you’re feeling. You might send this to ask someone to help you out, to explain why you can’t make it to an event, or just to get some sympathy.

   • “The room feels like it’s spinning. 🫨 Can you get me nausea meds?”
   • “I’ve caught a cold. 🫨 I don’t think I’m going to make it to class today.”
   • “That party was fun but I woke up like 🫨”
5. 
   5
   Send 🫨 when you have double vision. If you’ve spent several hours typing on your computer or scrolling through social media, you might feel like you’re seeing double. Sending a head shake emoji makes it clear you’ve had a little too much screen time and tells your friends you might be offline for a bit.

   • “I’ve been working a lot of overtime this week. 🫨”
   • “Somehow my 15-minute TikTok scroll became 2 hours long…🫨”
   • “All of these spreadsheets have me seeing double 🫨”
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Section 2 of 5:

Responding to 🫨 (Head Shake) Emoji

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1. 
   1
   Give comfort to someone who experienced a natural disaster. Going through an earthquake, tsunami, or other natural disaster can be a scary experience, whether you felt slight tremors or the whole earth shake. If a friend or family member texted you about one, ask if they’re okay and if they need your support. Then, make sure to let them know you’re okay, too.

   • “That must be really scary. 😖 Are you okay?”
   • “That’s the strongest quake I’ve felt. 🫨😰 Is everything okay at your place?”
2. 
   2
   Offer your sympathy and help if someone isn’t feeling well. If a pal texts you a head shake emoji to let you know they’re under the weather, send them a comforting message so they feel supported. Then, offer to help them feel better: bring them tea, make them their favorite soup, or simply keep them company.

   • “So sorry to hear you’re not feeling well. Get better soon! 🤗🫶”
   • “I’ve got a delicious chicken noodle soup recipe that’s sure to make you feel better. ❤️ Can I come over and make it?”
3. 
   3
   Send 🫨 to let them know you feel excited, shocked, or angry too. When you’re bursting at the seams in joyful anticipation or just as shaken and in disbelief as your friend, simply send back the shaking face emoji to let them know you feel the same. This can lead to planning your exciting get-together, or help you commiserate about a problem you’re both experiencing.

   • “I can’t wait to see you either! 🫨 We’re going to have so much fun! 🥳”
   • “Truly can’t believe she wouldn’t say anything. 🫨 That’s so unlike her! 😡”
   • “Omg maybe you’ve met the one!! 🫨😍 Keep me updated!”
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Section 3 of 5:

🫨 (Head Shake) Emoji Pairings

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1. 
   Pair 🫨 with other emojis to represent what you’re feeling. The 🫨 (head shake) emoji has a lot of different meanings, so make it easier for your friends to decipher by combining it with other emojis. Just add other face or object emojis to depict feelings and experiences like:

   • Natural disasters: 🫨🤯 or 🫨😱 or 🫨🌊
   • Loud noises or booms: 🫨💥 or 🫨 🎆
   • Dizziness or sickness: 🫨😵‍ or 🫨🤢 or 🫨🤒
   • Exuberance: 🫨😁 or 🫨😆
   • Anger: 🫨😡 or 🫨🤬
   • Love: 🫨😍 or 🫨🥹 or 🫨🫦
   • Heartbreak: 🫨💔
   • Surprise: 🫨😯 or 🫨😦
   • Amazement or awe: 🫨🤩 or 🫨😳 or 🫨🥰

Section 4 of 5:

🫨 (Head Shake) Emoji Origins

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1. 
   The 🫨 (head shake) emoji is based off of head shaking in comic books. When the emoji creators realized a head-shaking emoji was sorely missing, they scratched their heads at how to accurately depict the movement. What helped them come up with this emoji’s distinct, shaking appearance was looking at how comic and cartoon artists draw head nods, vibrations, and seeing double.
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Section 5 of 5:

Emojis Related to the 🫨 (Head Shake) Emoji

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1. The 🫨 emoji is related to other smiley emojis. Check out these similar emojis and what they mean to express shock and dizziness:

   • The 😮 (face with open mouth) emoji represents surprise, astonishment, or admiration.
   • The 😱 (screaming face) emoji symbolizes fear, shock, or excitement.
   • The 🤯 (exploding head) emoji represents shock, disbelief, or amazement.
   • The 😵 (dizzy face) emoji symbolizes dizziness, shock, or feeling unwell.
   • The 👀 (eyes) emoji represents shock, intrigue, embarrassment, or sneakiness.

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