20 Emojis Guys Use When They Love You

What are the emojis guys use when they love you? In this age of modern hieroglyphics, emojis help express what you can’t say. Texting has become more expressive with emojis and it can certainly make interactions with romantic interests or partners a lot easier. Can’t find the right words for deep feelings? Emojis to the rescue. We all rely on them to convey our emotions in text messages and men are no exception.

Often misinterpreted and multi-layered with meaning, this trend of communication with emojis has helped introverts smoothly avoid conversation and extroverts illustrate their already overflowing rush of words. These could be the kissy face emoji, the heart-eye emoji, or the hugging face emoji. The options are endless. Emojis have made life colorful and painful at the same time, as your upended smiley might be construed as torture by hanging upside down instead of an abstract expression of cuteness.

Let us explore this quizzical messaging technique by which some men might have professed their love and you completely missed out on that, and also, help you figure out how to respond to emoji from a guy. At the same time, we’re here to alert men that using these emojis might mean you are sending out signals of pure adore without intending to. Let’s proceed, shall we?

20 Emojis Guys Use When They Love You

There is no doubt that those cute emojis written at the end of a quick sentence do a lot to lift your mood. Sometimes, guys use emojis to start a conversation with a girl too. But then there is a difference between emojis guys send when they are being casual or friendly with you and when they’re in love. So, what emojis do guys use if they like you? Or what are the emojis guys use to flirt?

The answer can help you decode the true feelings of that special person who may be sending out mixed signals. With some careful observation, you can figure out if he wants to be a part of your love life or is just a casual friend. Guys use emojis to flirt, stir up the romance, and make you feel happy. For example, when a guy sends a blowing kiss emoji ?, it brightens your mood and makes your heart skip a beat. Here’s a list of 20 emojis guys use when they love you:

1. What does ❤️ mean from a man?

A guy in love will go all out with the huge red hearts . Know that it’s an expression of vulnerability when he chooses to send that very red and very alive heart ❤️ your way, thus breaking the macho rules of not over-expressing himself. This could be the most transparent and direct way of expressing his feelings to you and that’s exactly what he aims to do when he sends you this emoji.

The throbbing red heart emoji is everything love. But do guys send heart emojis to friends? Yes! It could also be a simple way of showing affection. Here are the various possible romantic emoji meanings:

• “I love you”
• “You make my heart happy”
• “Thank you for being in my life”

A young college student once told us that her boyfriend was able to carry out full-length conversations without using any text at all. The more you get to know someone, the easier it is to find a deeper meaning in what they are saying through just emojis. The throbbing heart emoji ❤️ does help you say a lot.

Related Reading: 15 Reasons Your Man Never Texts You First But Always Replies To You

2. 😘 meaning from a guy

Well, this is one of the trickier smileys. If your boyfriend or a guy you like is sending you kissing smileys ?, what could that mean? Is he trying to express his sexual or emotional desires? Having been enveloped in the “think with their penis” stereotype, men are often misunderstood when using this smiley ?. But this is one of the emojis guys use when they love you.

A face throwing a kiss emoji by a guy is decoded as affection. It’s a sign that he truly loves you. The common response they receive is the shy monkey ? covering his eyes or slap hands or lingerie emoticon. Wake up, girls! He is writing you a Keats-ian verse through that singular smiley blowing a little heart off its lips. Yes, he could be in love and that is why he is sending you a blowing kiss emoji ?. Till you get to the real kissing, the blowing kiss emoji 😘 works wonders.

3. What does ? mean from a man?

The brinjal or eggplant ? emoticon, often followed by a blushing face emoji or sometimes by a kiss mark emoji (usually attempted by the more experienced kind), does not demean you to your gender role of cooking him an eggplant casserole. Do not make the mistake of lecturing him on heteronormative conditioning just yet. The eggplant ? is a curious case of the analogy drawn between body parts and vegetables (almost reminiscent of metaphysical conceit).

While the answer to do guys send heart emojis to friends can be yes, no guy would send the eggplant emoji to someone he isn’t attracted to. So, if this lands in your chatbox, there is little ambiguity about his feelings. Here’s what the flirty emoji ? from a guy really means:

• Expressing his desire to make sweet love to you
• Probably fantasizing about something kinky
• Silently hinting at an exciting experience (he may also use the peach emoji)
• Trying to understand your inclination toward adventure in the bedroom

4. ? emoji meaning from a guy

This couple smiley ? is simple in the eyes of the inexperienced. But, look closely before you conclude. The smiley depicts two people with a heart in between. Now, in the utopian world of emojis, the world of queer and the heterosexual ego coexist in perfect harmony, hence the male and female are differentiated ever so subtly.

The multiple combinations of this couple emoji ? include a man and a woman, a man and a man, and a woman and a woman combination. Without close inspection, they look the same. This is essentially an “I love you” emoji. But hey, do not assume that the couple emoji ? indicates that he wants to marry you someday.

5. What does ? mean?

This is how Tiffany and Tanishq might be losing business in their respective markets. The unemployed and the poorly paid or the majority of the population, cannot be pressured into spending money for a proposal anymore. No one can deny the innocent cuteness of bride emojis ?.

With their hypnotic unblinking eyes, they have convinced humanity that a bride smiley ? can even revive the heart of a puppy (filter) hater. So he drops the emoticon of the ring and then the bride ?. The message is simple; he is asking you to marry him. This is forever. Yes, it’s an emoji asking for love and marriage. 

Related Reading: How To Differentiate Whether He Loves You Or Just Lusts For You

6. ? secret meaning from a guy

If a guy sends you a winky face, does he like you? A Reddit user wrote, “I think that the purpose of a winking emoji is to add an element of sexuality to a conversation i.e.. Let’s watch a movie means I want to watch a movie, Let’s watch a movie 😉 means let’s have sex, however, my friend feels like a winky face is more of a silly thing like a joke or something.” In our opinion, the winking emoji usually means he:

• Is flirting with you
• Wants to add a certain sense of mystery/intrigue
• Wants to keep you guessing his true feelings about you

7. ? meaning from a guy

This is considered the best emoji to express love. Guys use the three hearts and smiling face ? emoji to express love, care, and affection toward you. In simple words, ? emoji meaning from a guy is: “You’ve warmed my heart”. It’s a sign that you hold a special place in his heart and he genuinely loves and cares for you.

8. ? (kiss mark) emoji

Evidently enough, the mouth emoji from a guy is an obvious sign he feels deeply for you. It’s exactly what it looks like – a kiss – and it screams “I love you” emoji loud and clear. How to respond to emoji from a guy? Seal it with a ? kiss back to him, if you feel the same way about him. He may send the emoji as:

• A virtual good morning or good night kiss
• In response to a compliment that made him happy
• “I miss you” text

9. ? is one of the emojis guys use when they love you

This meaning is a sense of relief. If a guy sends the relieved face emoji to you, it means that he has wanted to share something with you for a long time and, now that he has, he feels good about it. You know that feeling you get when you finally tell someone something you’ve been hiding or keeping from them? That sense of relief is what this emoji ? is used to express. 

The guy had probably been fighting his feelings for you but is now letting you know the deep affection he has for you, which is why he has sent this emoji. It also shows that:

• He cares about you and your wellbeing
• He gets upset if you’re not okay. If you’re fine, he feels fine too
• He’s emotionally connected to you and wants to know if everything is okay in your life

10. ? (smirk face) emoji

The smirking face ? usually indicates him flirting. This love emoticon for texting usually has a romantic and sexual connotation. But it could also mean he is:

• Being playful, funny, and witty with you
• Trying to play hard to get
• Very much into you

Related Reading: 10 Things Every Girl Wants Her Man To Do

11. ? (heart eyes) emoji

One of the 20 emojis guys use when they love you is this. Guys use the heart eyes ? emoji to express their excitement about seeing you. If you’ve sent him a selfie and he responded with this ? emoji, then know that he is absolutely mesmerized and stunned by how you look. He finds you irresistible. The two hearts instead of eyes are his way of saying:

• “I love how amazing you look in that dress”
• “You are beautiful”
• “You’re a treat for the eyes ”

12. ? (monkey) emoji

The monkey see-no-evil ? emoji indicates shyness. If you’re still trying to figure out what emojis do guys use when they love you, take note. The monkey see-no-evil ? emoji shows that:

• Your guy is quite the shy kind when it comes to revealing his feelings
• He probably blushes too hard while sending messages to you
• He doesn’t know how you’ll react and uses this emoji to cover up for anything stupid that he says

13. ? (cold sweat) emoji

The sweat emoji with cheesy grin is used to denote first date nerves/awkwardness/embarrassment. Or, it is used to indicate the particular kind of relief experienced after narrowly avoiding disaster. Here are some other emojis and their meanings for your reference:

• ? conveys such feelings as sadness, disappointment, fear, and anxiety
• ? means that he is hot temperature-wise or finds you very attractive
• meaning from a guy is a bittersweet feeling/mixed emotions

14. ? (upside-down face) emoji

What does it mean when guys use ? emoji? It means they’re being sarcastic/ironic. It could also be an attempt to convey passive-aggressiveness. Here are some ways guys hint they like you a lot:

• “Very cute Instagram post with that guy, your bestie ?”
• “The date was scheduled for 6 PM, just saying ?”
• “You’re forgetting our anniversary, are you going to wish me? ?”

15. ? (eyes) emoji

What emojis do guys use if they like you? meaning from a guy is that he finds you attractive. The side-eyeing could also mean he is:

• Relishing the drama as it happens
• Munching on some popcorn while watching conflict unfold
• Saying “Pay attention to this!” or “Look at this!” 

Related Reading: 35 Cute Questions To Ask Your Crush While Texting

16. ?‍?️(face in clouds) emoji meaning

It symbolizes that he’s unable to concentrate and is constantly distracted by you. Also, it could mean that he is lost and cannot find a way out, both literally and figuratively. Unable to figure out a cute response? Try subtle flirty texts. Keep it short. You can try sending:

• “Tea, coffee, or whiskey in the morning?”
• “You could text me back or just ask me out to dinner. Just saying”
• “I’m terrible at small talk, but I make a killer playlist”

17. ? (hug) emoji

Ever gotten a hug emoji from a guy and you took it lightly? Don’t. Go on and respond with a happy cheerful face. These emojis add layers to conversations. In fact, according to studies, using emojis can:

• Add extra emotional/contextual meaning to fix serious communication issues
• Enhance the attractiveness of the message to receivers
• Help users in tone adjustment and conversation management
• Play a role in managing and maintaining interpersonal relationships

When a guy sends you ‘two people hugging’ emojis, all he wants to do is reach out with both his arms wide open.

18.? meaning from a guy

Social media influencer Avantii M laughs when she narrates how emojis enhanced her dating experience. “I once met this really cute guy who started showing an interest in me. I was attracted to him but obviously wanted to take it slow. So, I would only respond to his long texts with emojis and a few words. This kept him wondering whether I was reciprocating his feelings or not.

“A simple smile when I was impressed, a wide-eyed expression to convey shock, a meh look when I was bored. Thankfully, all the emoticons and flirty emojis kept the conversation going,” she chuckles, “It added the right amount of spice during our addictive flirty texting phase.” Adding to that, according to Google, here’s meaning from a guy:

• It’s playful, cheeky, sassy
• It can imply a joke, or a bit of lasciviousness
• The zany wink conveys goofiness/cuteness

How to respond to emoji from a guy? A Reddit user wrote, “He wants to spend it with you. It’s playful, most likely sexual. Give him a flirt back. Wait… why are you still reading?? Go get your man.” You can use a kissy face or puppy eyes in your response.

19. ? meaning from a guy

The American actor Aziz Ansari confessed in his book Modern Romance, “It was brutal to read. After two years, the relationship was ended with a “:/,” not even a fully fleshed-out emoji. There…” But the pink heart is a fully fleshed out emoji. And here’s meaning from a guy:

• It can denote a sense of playfulness or platonic love
• It’s also used to convey romantic love/affection
• He loves you if he says something like “I can’t stop thinking about you ?”

How to respond to ? emoji from a guy? Start with a simple and short, “Aww, you’re just too adorable!” or a “Thanks, cutie” initially. These are important flirting tips for beginners. See, no rocket science, right? If he responds well to these, you know you can dive into deeper waters and use blushing emojis/angel emojis! To start slow, here are innocent flirty texts for him:

• “So, what does your ideal date look like?”
• “Hey, good looking. What do you suggest I do for fun this weekend?”
• “Good night sweetie. Talk to you tomorrow”

20. ? is another emoji guys use when they flirt

If you want to ace the emoji flirting game, knowing how to respond to ❤️ emoji from a guy or what to say when he’s showing off his dry sense of humor isn’t enough. As the world of emojis becomes more diverse, so do the emojis men use to flirt. A fairly new entrant on the list is the ? emoji. Here’s what the star-eyed emoji means:

• He’s intimidated/fascinated/star-struck by you
• If you met virtually, he can’t wait to see you in real life
• You make him speechless/at a loss of words when you’re around

In today’s world emojis are used to convey a whole range of emotions – happiness, sadness, relief, trouble, anger, frustration, care, affection, fear, love, pain, shock, curiosity, anxiety, and so much more. From love to marriage to having a baby, everything can be conveyed in emojis. A lot can be understood from the ways guys hint they like you. When a man wants to talk about or express love, the emojis that he chooses to send are truly cute. We hope the above list helps you in figuring out the different emojis guys use when they like/love you.

This article has been updated in July 2023

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