The Filipino Gen Z Dictionary: Decoding the Filipino Usage of Emojis

Growing up as digital natives who are fluent in both internet language and local tradition, Gen Zs instinctively use emojis to navigate social dynamics, identity, and internet culture. Whether amplifying emotion, softening messages with lambing, expressing tibay ng loob through humor, or signaling confidence and individuality, emojis have evolved into tools of expression that bridge the digital and real world. 

For Filipino Gen Zs, emojis are not just decorative add-ons. These visuals are an integral part of how they communicate, connect, and co-construct meaning in an increasingly digital world. Reflecting both the pace of technology and the depth of Filipino values, using emojis moved beyond just symbols to expressions of authenticity, humor, and identity.

This essay explores the many ways emojis function in Gen Z culture. From tools for vulnerability to signals of social sensitivity, belonging, and even tsismis, it reflects how the Filipino language continues to evolve together with technology and popular culture led by the youth of today (Read more about the usage of words by Gen Zs: https://www.fastforward.life/the-filipino-gen-z-dictionary/). 

AMPLIFIERS FOR EMOTIONS

In this modern era, Gen Zs use emojis to communicate the entirety of their thoughts and emotions. As digital natives, they’ve grown up relying on symbols to express what words often can’t capture. Gen Zs crave full expression in a world where online communication often feels like a guessing game, and amplifying emotions through emojis helps reduce misinterpretation and ease social anxiety.

By visually representing feelings, emojis provide context that plain text cannot convey. Whether it’s to add tone, clarify the height of an emotion, or simply exaggerate, emojis act like digital body language expression, making messages feel more human and nuanced.

SIGNALS FOR SUBTLETY

Confrontation is often avoided in favor of subtlety or humor in many Filipino contexts. For a generation that feels everything deeply but doesn’t always want to say it out loud, emojis become a safe middle ground.

When Gen Zs feel secondhand embarrassment through cringe, want to subtly  back away from an online conversation, or are taken aback that they simply don’t know how to respond (the audacity!), they use emojis like 😬 (grimace), 😳 (flushed), 😶‍🌫️ (fog), or 👻 (ghost) to soften or mask difficult feelings. These emojis help them navigate emotional discomfort and social dynamics by becoming exit strategies or signals of discomfort, allowing Filipino Gen Zs to express what they feel without having to explain it outright.

FUEL FOR DIGITAL FLEX

Emojis have also become visual cues for Gen Zs’ flex culture. Emojis such as 💅, 😌, 😤, and 😎 project confidence, assertiveness, and a playful sense of superiority with digitally-mediated self-assurance. Whether used to punctuate a witty comeback, celebrate a personal win, or simply assert one’s presence online, these symbols help young Filipinos broadcast a sense of self-worth without saying too much.

In this sense, emojis become tools that allow Gen Zs to navigate and toggle between the traditional Filipino value of humility and the modern mindset of being proud, acknowledging one’s Ws (wins), and fulfilling the need to occasionally be the main character. They are used to express pride without coming off as boastful and to claim space without demanding it, offering a safe middle ground that reconciles Filipino values and needing to be visible.

COPING IN CODE

Tibay ng loob, or resilience, is a deeply rooted Filipino value that is manifested in how Gen Zs use emojis. Instead of hiding embarrassing moments, slip-ups, or lowlights, Gen Zs expose them playfully, using emojis to downplay the emotions and soften the blow. Nowadays, it is common to see emojis like 🤡, 🫠, and 🧠 for self-deprecating humor, a hallmark of Filipino resilience and pagiging masayahin.

Far from meaningless jokes, these emojis play an active role in how today’s young Filipinos process failure, pressure, and confusion as quiet coping tools. They let people show vulnerability without feeling overly-exposed and help them own missteps with a mix of honesty, humor, and emotional strength.

CURATING AESTHETIC VIBES

Aesthetic culture gained significant popularity in the Philippines in 2010. Formerly rooted in the concept of beauty, aesthetic culture resurged in platforms like Tumblr and Instagram where people began to use emojis to curate visual styles and online identities.

The pandemic re-popularized the culture as people sought comfort and personal expression through visual storytelling on social media platforms. Aside from functional communication, emojis are now used by Gen Zs to enhance the visual appeal and aesthetic quality of plain digital text, reflecting how Filipinos instinctively turn everyday tools into creative expressions that carry cultural personality and emotional nuance. By adding emojis, texts that are plain and boring, can now be vibrant and creative, making it more engaging and visually stimulating for the audience. Beyond mere decoration, emojis act as emotional cues and cultural markers, allowing senders to infuse personality, humor, and relatability into otherwise static words

GOSSIPING AND TSISMIS CULTURE

Tsismis or gossip has been a part of Filipino culture even before social media expanded its reach in the Philippines. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives ^[1] revealed that Filipinos viewed tsismis as a form of entertainment, source of information, and a tool to build social bonds. In today’s generation, this culture has manifested in platforms such as Facebook, Messenger, X (Formerly Twitter), Threads, and Tiktok.

For Gen Zs, emojis play a vital role in this culture by using it to subtly playfully engage in this culture. Certain emojis, like 👀, 🤭, or 🍵, often act as anchors for curiosity, shared secrets and “tea”, or silent reactions. This both maintains an air of exclusivity and transforms “spilling tea” into a shared performance and experience.

DIGITAL LAMBING AND AFFECTION

Lambing, the Filipino way of showing warmth, affection, and emotional closeness which were often expressed before through physical touch can now be conveyed in digital spaces through the use of emojis. These emojis allow people to express care, vulnerability, and tenderness even without being physically present.

While plain text can sometimes feel cold or blunt, Gen Zs now used emojis to help soften the message, making it more tender, playful, and emotionally nuanced. Filipinos are usually mahiyain especially when it comes to expressing their feelings, but emojis offer a safe and creative way to communicate feelings of care, apology, love, or longing. This shows that emojis are not just used to decorate digital messages, but it also carries the emotional heart of Filipino communication into digital spaces.

SENSE OF BELONGING

Since 2015, the Unicode Consortium has allowed users to choose emoji skin tones, add gender-inclusive options, and use diverse cultural symbols. These updates enable people to represent their backgrounds, identities, and experiences more accurately, fostering self-expression and a stronger sense of belonging in digital spaces. By using these emojis, people are able to express their identities more freely which fosters a sense of belonging in digital spaces. 

Beyond appearance, emojis are also widely used to have symbolic meanings tied to specific communities and fandoms. For instance, the rainbow flag emoji (🏳️‍🌈) is recognized as a symbol of the LGBTQIA+ community while the purple heart 💜 has become a strong symbol of the Korean group BTS. Locally, the popular Filipino girl group Bini is also associated with the 🌸 flower emoji. These emojis go beyond the surface-level decoration as they create a sense of belonging, shared language and interest among users, making the online world more inclusive and personally meaningful.

Take a look at our updated Gen Z dictionary for emojis!

Emojis as Emotional Amplifiers

Emojis as Signals for Subtlety

Emojis for Digital Flex

Emojis for Coping in Code

Emojis as Tools for Curation and Aesthetics

Emojis for Gossip and Tsismis Culture

Emojis for Softness and Lambing

Emojis as Digital Symbols of Belonging

Emojis are flexible by design, but their true meaning only clicks when read in context. Their usage exists on a spectrum: one emoji can shift meaning depending on tone, platform, relationship dynamics, or the surrounding message, all reflecting how the Filipino language continues to evolve. 

Reference:
[1] The Psychology of Tsimis