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UwU | {{short description|Emoticon denoting cuteness, smiling or happiness}} | ||
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}} | |||
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''uwu''}} | |||
{{About|the emoticon|other uses|UWU (disambiguation)}} | |||
{{Redirect2|OwO|TwT|the local government area of Nigeria|Owo|other uses|Owo (disambiguation)|and|TWT (disambiguation){{!}}TWT}} | |||
{{use mdy dates|date=June 2021}} | |||
[[File:Stylized uwu emoticon.svg|thumb|Stylized ''uwu'' emoticon as a [[blushing]] face|class=skin-invert-image]] | |||
'''''uwu''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|uː|w|uː|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-uwu.wav}}), also stylized '''''UwU''''', is an [[emoticon]] representing a [[cuteness|cute]] face. The ''u'' characters represent closed eyes, while the ''w'' represents a cat mouth.<ref name="dictionary.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/uwu/|title=uwu|work=[[Dictionary.com]] Unabridged|date=2020-02-12 |publisher=[[Random House]]|access-date=2021-06-04|archive-date=2021-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211215154609/https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/uwu/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dailydot">{{cite web |last1=Turner |first1=Amy-Mae |title=What does 'uwu' mean? |url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/what-does-uwu-mean/ |work=[[The Daily Dot]] |access-date=2021-06-04 |date=2019-05-26 |archive-date=2021-11-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121125359/https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/what-does-uwu-mean/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It is used to express various warm, happy, or affectionate feelings. | |||
== Usage and variants == | |||
The emoticon ''uwu'' is often used to denote cuteness (''[[kawaii]]''), happiness, or tenderness.<ref name="dailydot" /><ref name="rae" /> Excessive usage of the emoticon can also have the intended effect of annoying its recipient.<ref name="studybreaks" /> It is popularly used in the [[furry fandom]].<ref name="dailydot" /><ref name=grammarbrain/> | |||
=== OwO === | |||
The emoticon also has a more surprised and sometimes allusive variant, ''owo'' (also stylized ''OwO''; {{IPAc-en|ˈ|oʊ|w|oʊ|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-owo.wav}}; also associated with the furry fandom) that may also denote cuteness, as well as curiosity and perplexion (often the response "what's this?").<ref name="dailydot" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=People Have Discovered This Weird Furry Meme Is An Actual Word And It's Making Them Scream|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/krishrach/people-have-discovered-owo-is-an-actual-word-and-its-making|access-date=2021-07-25|website=BuzzFeed News|date=2017-10-30 |language=en|archive-date=2021-11-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121123734/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/krishrach/people-have-discovered-owo-is-an-actual-word-and-its-making|url-status=live|first=Rachael|last=Krishna}}</ref> ''owo'' gained popularity in 2018;<ref name="grammarbrain">{{Cite web |date=2022-09-15 |title="OwO" Meaning-Definition, Uses, Examples |url=https://grammarbrain.com/owo-meaning/?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=19691598EEE845E58CCD579E575E2426 |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=GrammarBrain}}</ref> as opposed to ''uwu'', the ''o'' characters represent open eyes.<ref name="grammarbrain" /> It is also sometimes used for [[trolling]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leonard |first=Antonia |date=2022-05-31 |title=What Is Ow And Owo? |url=https://communityliteracy.org/what-is-ow-and-owo/?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=6D309C7826574B95877DF10D4E26DFDE |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=CLJ}}</ref> | |||
The OwO variant was found inscribed on the used bullet in the investigation of the [[assassination of Charlie Kirk]] on September 10, 2025.<ref name="Nguyen-2025">{{cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Tina |date=September 12, 2025 |title=Charlie Kirk's alleged killer scratched bullets with a Helldivers combo and a furry sex meme |url=https://www.theverge.com/politics/777313/charlie-kirks-alleged-killer-scratched-bullets-with-a-helldivers-combo-and-a-furry-sex-meme |access-date=September 13, 2025 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref> | |||
=== TwT === | |||
Another variant, ''TwT'', is often used to symbolize crying, with each T representing a closed eye with tears streaming down.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keshav |date=2020-01-29 |title=TwT – Meaning, Origin, Usage |url=https://digitalcultures.net/emotes/twt/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=DigitalCultures |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
== History == | |||
The emoticon ''uwu'' is known to date back as far as April 11, 2000, when it was used by [[Furry Fandom|furry]] artist Ghislain Deslierres in a post on the furry art site VCL (Vixen Controlled Library).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Deslierres |first=Ghislain |date=2000-04-11 |title=VCL - Ghislain-Deslierres |url=http://us.vclart.net/vcl/Artists/Ghislain-Deslierres/index02-by-date.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217225306/http://us.vclart.net/vcl/Artists/Ghislain-Deslierres/index02-by-date.html |archive-date=2021-02-17 |access-date=2023-04-23 |work=[[Vixen Controlled Library|VCL]] |language=en}}</ref> A 2005 [[anime]] [[fanfiction]] contained another early use of the word. The origin of the term is unknown, with many people believing it to originate in [[chat room|Internet chat rooms]]. By 2014, the emoticon had spread across the Internet into [[Tumblr]], becoming an [[Subculture|Internet subculture]].<ref name="studybreaks">{{cite web |last1=Srinivasan |first1=Janani Mangai |title=The Origin and Spread of 'UWU' — The Word That Epitomizes Cuteness |url=https://studybreaks.com/tvfilm/the-origin-of-the-word-uwu/ |work=Study Breaks |access-date=June 4, 2021 |date=2020-02-22 |archive-date=2021-11-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121123823/https://studybreaks.com/tvfilm/the-origin-of-the-word-uwu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The word ''uwu'' is included in the [[Royal Spanish Academy]]'s word observatory,{{Efn|The word observatory is a website owned by the Royal Spanish Academy featuring words that are not included in the ''[[Diccionario de la lengua española]]'' and that have not been considered for inclusion, but for which people have wanted to know the meaning, including technical terms, neologisms, and foreign words.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Morales|first=Manuel|date=2020-10-23|title=La RAE presenta su nueva web, con un 'Observatorio' de palabras que no están en el 'Diccionario'|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2020-10-23/la-rae-presenta-su-nueva-web-con-un-observatorio-de-palabras-que-no-estan-en-el-diccionario.html|access-date=June 4, 2021|work=[[El País]]|language=es|archive-date=2021-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705171521/https://elpais.com/cultura/2020-10-23/la-rae-presenta-su-nueva-web-con-un-observatorio-de-palabras-que-no-estan-en-el-diccionario.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}} defined as an "emoticon used to show happiness or tenderness".<ref name="rae">{{Cite web|title=uwu|url=http://www.rae.es/observatorio-de-palabras/uwu|access-date=2021-06-04|website=Observatorio de palabras de la Real Academia Española|language=es|archive-date=2021-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705171523/https://www.rae.es/observatorio-de-palabras/uwu|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mouse |date=2020-10-28 |title=La RAE aclaró las dudas boomers sobre 'uwu' |trans-title=The RAE clarified boomers' doubts about 'uwu' |url=https://www.latercera.com/mouse/la-rae-aclaro-las-dudas-boomers-sobre-uwu/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705171521/https://www.latercera.com/mouse/la-rae-aclaro-las-dudas-boomers-sobre-uwu/ |archive-date=2021-07-05 |access-date=2021-06-04 |work=[[La Tercera]] |language=es}}</ref> | |||
==See also== | |||
*[[List of emoticons]] | |||
==Notes== | |||
{{Notelist}} | |||
==References== | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
==External links== | |||
{{sister project auto}} | |||
* {{Know Your Meme | uwu | uwu}} | |||
{{Furry fandom}} | |||
{{Internet slang}}{{Generation Z slang}} | |||
[[Category:Emoticons]] | |||
[[Category:Furry fandom]] | |||
[[Category:Internet memes introduced in 2000]] | |||
[[Category:2000 neologisms]] | |||
[[Category:Internet slang]] | |||
Revision as of 10:21, 3 October 2025
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uwu (/ˈuːwuː/ Audio file "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-uwu.wav" not found), also stylized UwU, is an emoticon representing a cute face. The u characters represent closed eyes, while the w represents a cat mouth.<ref name="dictionary.com">Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref><ref name="dailydot">Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref> It is used to express various warm, happy, or affectionate feelings.
Usage and variants
The emoticon uwu is often used to denote cuteness (kawaii), happiness, or tenderness.<ref name="dailydot" /><ref name="rae" /> Excessive usage of the emoticon can also have the intended effect of annoying its recipient.<ref name="studybreaks" /> It is popularly used in the furry fandom.<ref name="dailydot" /><ref name=grammarbrain/>
OwO
The emoticon also has a more surprised and sometimes allusive variant, owo (also stylized OwO; /ˈoʊwoʊ/ Audio file "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-owo.wav" not found; also associated with the furry fandom) that may also denote cuteness, as well as curiosity and perplexion (often the response "what's this?").<ref name="dailydot" /><ref>Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref> owo gained popularity in 2018;<ref name="grammarbrain">Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref> as opposed to uwu, the o characters represent open eyes.<ref name="grammarbrain" /> It is also sometimes used for trolling.<ref>Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref>
The OwO variant was found inscribed on the used bullet in the investigation of the assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025.<ref name="Nguyen-2025">Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref>
TwT
Another variant, TwT, is often used to symbolize crying, with each T representing a closed eye with tears streaming down.<ref>Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref>
History
The emoticon uwu is known to date back as far as April 11, 2000, when it was used by furry artist Ghislain Deslierres in a post on the furry art site VCL (Vixen Controlled Library).<ref>Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref> A 2005 anime fanfiction contained another early use of the word. The origin of the term is unknown, with many people believing it to originate in Internet chat rooms. By 2014, the emoticon had spread across the Internet into Tumblr, becoming an Internet subculture.<ref name="studybreaks">Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref>
The word uwu is included in the Royal Spanish Academy's word observatory,Template:Efn defined as an "emoticon used to show happiness or tenderness".<ref name="rae">Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref><ref>Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).</ref>
See also
Notes
References
External links
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- Internet slang