Where Emojis Come From: Learn Japanese Words Behind Popular Faces
Emojis are everywhere from texts to storybooks but did you know they began in Japan as 絵文字 (emoji, “picture characters”)? Exploring their roots reveals Japanese words and onomatopoeia hidden behind each tiny face. This article shows how emojis grew from 90s phone icons into the global language we use today and how kids can learn the Japanese terms behind their favorite symbols.
The Birth of Emoji
In 1999, Japanese designer Shigetaka Kurita created 176 pixel-style pictograms for NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode service. Each icon weather, hearts, faces answered a need to convey emotion in brief messages. The Japanese name 絵文字 breaks down to 絵 (e, picture) + 文字 (moji, character). From pagers to smartphones, these tiny art pieces spread worldwide once Unicode adopted them in 2010.
Popular Faces and Their Japanese Names
Below are five common emojis, their Japanese labels, and the words that describe their expressions:
- 😀 笑顔 (えがお, egao) – smiling face
- 😂 大笑い (おおわらい, ōwarai) – big laugh
- 😢 泣き顔 (なきがお, nakigao) – crying face
- ❤️ ハート (hāto) – heart
- 👍 いいね (iine) – “good” or thumbs-up
Saying each Japanese term aloud helps kids link the image with its word—「これは 笑顔 です！」 (This is a smiling face!).
Practice Activities
Emoji Label Match
Print a grid of emojis alongside blank word cards. Kids draw a card, write the Japanese name (in hiragana or katakana), then match it to the correct emoji. This builds symbol-to-word recognition.
Onomatopoeia Sound-Off
Many emojis carry sound cues in Japanese, like キラキラ (kirakira, sparkle) for ✨. Assign a new emoji each week and have children invent its Japanese onomatopoeia—then compare with real words they discover online.
Story-in-Six-Emojis
Challenge kids to pick six emojis and tell a short story in Japanese, using the correct terms. For example:
- 🐶 犬 (いぬ, inu)
- 🌧️ 雨 (あめ, ame)
- ☂️ 傘 (かさ, kasa)
- 😊 笑顔 (えがお, egao)
- 🏠 家 (いえ, ie)
- 🌈 虹 (にじ, niji)
They might say:
「犬 が 雨 の 中 で 傘 を さす。笑顔 で 家 に 帰る。そして 虹 が 出る。」
(The dog holds an umbrella in the rain, returns home with a smile, and then a rainbow appears.)
After emoji play, open Dinolingo for a themed follow-up. Dinolingo’s family plan unlocks 50+ languages and 40 000+ activities—including animated emoji-word quizzes, printable flashcards, and surprise badges—to reinforce each new term. Age-specific paths (2–5, 6–10, 11–14) guide learners through gradual review on an ad-free dashboard.
Final Thoughts
By uncovering the Japanese words behind emojis, children see them as more than cute icons—they become gateways to new vocabulary and culture. Mixing label-match games, onomatopoeia challenges, and Dinolingo’s follow-ups ensures that every 😀 and ❤️ becomes a stepping stone to confident Japanese learning.
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