What does „Side Eye“ 👀 mean? Emoji, Meaning, Definition, Explanation

„Side Eye“ 👀 literally means „side glance“, but it also means „judging side glance“. The corresponding emoji is: 👀

„Side Eye“ 👀 is a look with the eyes to the side to express disapproval, displeasure, disrespect or doubt. However, the „side eye“ movement is also used to express feelings of anger and disgust and contempt. (What exactly is meant to be expressed depends very much on the context. This should definitely be taken into account.

However, the emoji 👀 is also used in the sense of „Look!“. The emoji’s eyes are wide open. It looks curious and interested.

What does „side eye“ 👀 mean? Emoji, meaning, definition, explanation

Someone is looked at with a side eye 👀 if the person has said something questionable, stupid or simply wrong. The side-eye is meant to express doubt, but also disapproval. It is meant to communicate that one does not like what another person has said.

One would say: „(to look at someone) strangely from the side“.

With the „side eye“ 👀 you don’t turn your head. You look with your eyes to the side. Instead of looking at the person (to be looked at) face to face, you look at them from the side. With the „side eye“ you don’t smile either. The corners of the mouth remain fixed. The whole face looks rather frowning.

The side eye is an expression of a passive-aggressive attitude. This is because you don’t directly address what bothers you, but communicate through the movement of your eyes. This is easily recognisable in photos afterwards, but in the respective situation it needs a counterpart with good attention.

See also: Bombastic side eye, Criminal offensive side eye

What does „side eye“ 👀 mean in youth language? Youth word, meaning, explanation

In social media, this looks different. Especially in youth language, the emoji „👀“ is used, which stands for „side eye“.

The emoji 👀 is used in comments and text messages to express disbelief, disdain, displeasure and doubt.

BUT in Germany, the „side eye“ 👀 is not widespread in this sense. Rather, the emoji 👀 is understood to be about looking or looking at something. Because the emoji 👀 has its eyes wide open, which stands for interest and curiosity. So it rather stands for the request „Open your eyes!“

The „Side Eye“ 👀 is spreading via social media, with TikTok leading the way here.

About Side Eye 👀

The eye movement of the „Side Eye“ 👀 is more common in the US-speaking world. Here it is referred to as „The Side Eye“.

On TikTok, the hashtag #Sideeye has been used over a billion times.