Emojis have become an incredibly popular way for people to communicate and express themselves through text. With thousands of emojis available, there are many that can be used in a flirtatious manner. Determining the most flirtatious emoji requires analyzing usage data, examining commonly agreed upon flirty emojis, and evaluating the context in which certain emojis are used. By exploring these factors, we can identify which emojis are most frequently used to convey romantic or sexual interest.
What Makes an Emoji Flirtatious?
There are a few key factors that contribute to an emoji being perceived as flirty:
- Suggestive facial expressions or body language – emojis with winky or kissy faces, lip bites, raised eyebrows, and provocative poses come across as flirtatious.
- Implications of intimacy – emojis that reference kissing, romance, and sex imply intimacy and are often flirtatious.
- Double meanings – Some emojis have innocent meanings but can also be used to represent innuendos or sexual references.
- Context – How, when, and to whom an emoji is sent impacts whether it’s viewed as flirty. Using certain emojis in a romantic or social setting makes them seem more flirtatious.
Emojis that combine several of these elements tend to be perceived as the most overtly flirty and seductive.
Data on the Most Used Flirty Emojis
Data provides some valuable insights into which specific emojis are used most frequently for flirting.
Most Sent Flirty Emojis on Dating Apps
According to Match.com, these are the top 5 most sent flirty emojis on dating apps:
| Emoji | Sentiment |
|---|---|
| 😉 Winking Face | Playful, flirtatious |
| 😊 Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes | Affectionate, crush |
| ❤️ Red Heart | Love, passion |
| 😍 Smiling Face with Heart-Eyes | Infatuation, adoration |
| 🙈 See-No-Evil Monkey | Flirty, cheeky |
This data shows that the most popular flirty emojis on dating apps express playfulness, affection, infatuation, and cheekiness.
Emojis to Initiate Flirting According toStudy
A 2019 study published in the journal Sexuality & Culture looked at how people use emojis for flirting and initiation of sexual relationships. The top 5 emojis identified as the most effective for initiating flirting were:
| Emoji | Sentiment |
|---|---|
| 😉 Winking Face | Playful, flirtatious |
| 🙊 Speak-No-Evil Monkey | Cheeky, playfully secretive |
| 😋 Face Savoring Food | Playfully intimate |
| 😻 Smiling Cat Face With Heart-Eyes | Enthusiastic affection |
| 🍆 Eggplant | Sexual innuendo |
This study highlights emojis that imply playfulness, secrecy, intimacy, passion, and sexual suggestions as the most effective for starting flirty conversations and indicating sexual interest.
Most Ambiguously Flirty Emojis
Research has also identified the emojis that are most ambiguously flirty – meaning their flirtatiousness depends heavily on the context. According to a study published in PLOS ONE, the top 5 most ambiguously flirty emojis are:
| Emoji | Potential Flirty Sentiment |
|---|---|
| 😏 Smirking Face | Teasing, intimacy |
| 🤤 Drooling Face | Lust, desire |
| 🤗 Hugging Face | Affection, intimacy |
| 👅 Tongue | Sexual teasing |
| 💦 Splashing Sweat Symbol | Orgasm, ejaculation |
This data demonstrates how certain emojis can take on flirty meanings in the right context, even if they have other non-flirty uses.
Commonly Agreed Upon Flirty Emojis
In addition to usage data, there are several emojis that are widely regarded as go-to options for digital flirting:
😉 Winking Face
This emoji is highly flirtatious due to its suggestive facial expression. A wink implies playfulness, teasing, irony, and intimacy. It’s one of the most versatile and popular emojis for flirting.
😘 Blowing a Kiss Face
Few emojis so directly reference romance and interest. This emoji mimics the motion of blowing a kiss, indicating affection, closeness, and attraction. It’s overtly flirty and romantic.
🍆 Eggplant
While innocently representing a vegetable, this emoji is infamously used for male genitalia. Sending an unsolicited eggplant emoji is generally aggressive, but when reciprocated it indicates sexual interest and flirtation.
🍑 Peach
The peach emoji represents a peach, but is also used for female genitalia, buttocks, or vagina due its round shape resembling a rear end. It implies sensuality and is provocative when flirting.
💋 Kiss Mark
This emoji directly signifies kissing. Blowing kiss and lipstick trace emojis also imply kissing. These emojis represent affection, attraction, and desire.
Context for Interpreting Flirty Emojis
Emojis don’t have inherent meanings on their own. Context is key for interpreting whether an emoji is being used in a flirty manner. Important contextual factors include:
Relationship Between Sender & Recipient
Using kissy or winky faces with a crush or date is flirty, while using them with family members is not. The existing relationship determines emoji meaning.
Previous Messages
If previous messages have been romantic, a smiling emoji can seem flirty. With no previous romance, the same emoji will seem neutral.
Other Emojis Sent Together
Sending flirty emojis like lip bites and peaches together indicates greater sexual meaning than sending one alone.
Responding vs Initiating
Sending flirty emojis unprompted can seem aggressive. If the recipient already sent flirty emojis, responding similarly conveys mutual interest.
Platform Used
Flirty emojis are more expected on dating apps than work collaboration platforms. Cultural norms influence emoji use.
Analyzing the context around an emoji is key to identifying if it’s being used to communicate romantic or sexual interest between two individuals.
Conclusion
Based on usage data, agreed-upon meanings, and context analysis, the most flirtatious emoji appears to be 😉 Winking Face. Its playful facial expression universally represents teasing, irony, intimacy and flirtation. However, other emojis like kiss marks, peaches, and eggplants also strongly convey sexual and romantic interest, especially when considering the context they are used in. Ultimately there is no definitive “most flirtatious emoji” because context plays such a key role in emoji meanings. But the winking face remains a fairly safe, lighthearted option for digital flirting across platforms and relationships.
