What Does the 👅 Tongue Emoji Mean?

Co-authored by Jeremy Sharvit and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: May 23, 2025

Have you ever seen the 👅 (tongue) emoji pop up in texts and around Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat? You might be surprised to learn that there are many ways to interpret this versatile emoji, from goofing around to getting flirty! We'll show you everything you need to know about the 👅 (tongue) emoji, how to use it, and how to combine it with other fun emojis.

Section 1 of 5:

What does the 👅 (tongue) emoji mean?

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The 👅 (tongue) emoji can convey a playful and joking mood. It's basically like sticking your tongue out at someone, except you're doing it over text! Someone who tells a joke or teases you might pair it with the 👅 emoji to show you they're just playing around—and not trying to genuinely insult you.^{[1]
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- "Games at my place tonight! Are you ready to lose big time?? 👅"
- "Your taste in movies is AWFUL. You clearly need a little expert help! 👅"
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Sometimes, the 👅 (tongue) emoji means "delicious." Just like you lick your lips at the thought of food, 👅 can be a digital version of expressing hunger or satisfaction after eating. If someone talks about food in a text or shares a photo of their meal on Instagram and captions it with 👅, they're saying it was tasty.^{[2]
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- "I looked at the menu for that new Mexican restaurant, and OMG, we have to go there!! 👅"
- "Just ate the SPICIEST wings of my life! 👅🥵"
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The 👅 (tongue) emoji is also a sexual innuendo. People send this emoji to flirt over text or even try some sexting—if you see 👅 in a steamy text from your date or significant other, they're referring to oral sex. You can tell when 👅 is being used in a sexual context because typically, other "dirty" emojis will be paired with it.
- "We're gonna have fun tonight! 👅😘"
- "I'm going to blow your mind! 👅💦🤯"
- "It's going down tonight. 👇👅🍆"
- "You'll be seeing fireworks by the time we're done! 👅🎆"

Section 2 of 5:

How to Use the 👅 (Tongue) Emoji

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Tease someone with the 👅 (tongue) emoji. Poking fun at your friends over text or Facebook messages can be tricky because you can't rely on facial expressions or tone to show them you're joking. However, tacking a 👅 emoji onto the end of your playful texts will easily get your point across.
- "I swear, you have the most INSANE ideas! 👅"
- "Fair warning: I'm gonna kick your butt in mini-golf later. 👅"
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Send the 👅 (tongue) emoji when you're hungry—or just ate a good meal. Reassure your texting buddy that their cooking was absolutely delicious, or give them a tasty recommendation with an emoji for emphasis. For example:
- "Seriously, IDK how you make brownies that good. I couldn't get enough! 👅"
- "All these Halloween commercials are making me crave candy! 👅🍫"
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Use the 👅 (tongue) emoji to flirt with your date or significant other. When you're feeling flirty and playful, you can send the 👅 emoji to show your partner that you're in the mood for some sexting. Pair 👅 with other emojis like 🍆 (eggplant), 🍑 (peach), 🌮 (taco), and 💦 (sweat droplets) to make it clear that you're referencing oral sex with your partner.
- When sexting, 🍆 means male genitalia, 🌮 refers to feminine genitalia, 🍑 refers to a booty, and 💦 means an orgasm.
- "I've been thinking about last night…it was so much fun! 👅💦💦"
- "So, about last night. When can we do that again? 👅🌮🤯"
- "When can we hang out again? I miss you already. 😘👅"

Section 3 of 5:

How to Reply to the 👅 (Tongue) Emoji

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Laugh at the joke. If a friend starts teasing you over text, the easiest way to respond is to laugh along with them and poke them back with a joke of your own. The 👅 emoji sets the playful mood of the exchange, so feel free to use a 😂 (laughing face) emoji or tease your friend and pair it with an emoji that tells them you're joking too, like 😉 (winking face) or 🤪(zany face).
- "Lol, I don't know what you're talking about! I think my taste in moves is top-notch! 😂🤪"
- "You WISH you were better at Mario Party than me! It's on! 😉"
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Drop a comment on a food picture. When someone makes a post on Facebook or Instagram featuring photos of their meal, respond and let them know how great it looks! You could even ask for a recipe if you're curious or request a demonstration the next time you hang out.
- "Woah!! Did you make that cake yourself? It looks gorgeous—and I bet it tasted amazing! 🤤"
- "I'm gonna need the recipe for that garlic pesto. It sounds delicious! 😍"
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Send a sexy message back to your texting partner. A steamy text with the 👅 emoji is an excellent opening to a sexting session with your significant other. Respond with enthusiasm if they use the 👅 emoji to describe what they want to do with you, and offer a few dirty emoji pairings of your own to get their heart racing.
- "I like where this is going! 🔥What would you want to do next??"
- "Two can play at this game! I have a few ideas of my own… 👅🌮💦😘"

Section 4 of 5:

Combinations Using the 👅 (Tongue) Emoji

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Give the 👅 (tongue) emoji more meanings by pairing it with others. You can pair it with food-based emojis to describe a meal you had or pair it with romantic emojis to send your partner a steamy text. For example:
- 👅🔥 means "spicy."
- 👅💦 means "thirsty."
- 👅🍭 means "lick."
- 👅🌮💦 and 👅🍆💦 both mean "let's have oral sex."

Section 5 of 5:

What's the difference between the 👅 (tongue) emoji and the 😛 (face with tongue) emoji?

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The 😛 (face with tongue) emoji is goofier than the 👅 (tongue) emoji. While 👅 can be used as sexual innuendo, the 😛 emoji is mainly paired with jokes and teasing statements over text. Your crush may also message you 😛 after saying something bold as a sort of fail-safe; that way, if you don't reciprocate, they can backpedal and say they were joking.^{[3]
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- "You know, you're really cute. 😛"
- "Omg, you like Lord of the Rings too? I think we're meant to be! 😛"
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The 😛 (face with tongue) emoji also means "I'm excited!" This emoji's happy face and open mouth can also symbolize intense enthusiasm. Use it when you're feeling super pumped about something, and want to express your excitement over text or social media.
- "Tonight is going to be SO much fun!! 😛"
- "My favorite artist is dropping new tunes tomorrow! OMG! 😛"
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The 😛 (face with tongue) emoji also conveys humor. Use face emojis like 😜, 😋, and 🤪 either alongside 👅 or as an alternative.^{[4]
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- The 😋 (face savoring food) emoji can describe something delicious.
- The 😜 (winking face with tongue) emoji can be used to joke around or get flirty.
- The 🤪 (zany face) emoji can be used to goof around or get wacky.
- The 😝 (squinting face with tongue) emoji expresses fun and hilarity.

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