WTF does this emoji mean from a man?!?!

[NameChangedForThisFeb21]

😊

???

I’m overthinking I know, but it’s driving me insane.

I’ve recently called it a day with a relationship (and I’m fine, no drama, no heartache, wasn’t as serious as what I was looking for) but met this 😊 guy once before lockdown at a get together for some friends. We’ve friends in common but they aren’t super close friends of either of us. He’s an acquaintance but we’ve WhatsApped back and forward in lockdown and spoke once on the phone (I bought something for a shared hobby from him) before mainly moving to WhatApp texts. It was a nice phone call, the conversation was easy, we made each other laugh.

I find him physically attractive, he’s got a brilliant reputation as a decent, good man, and he’s generally a brilliant communicator. I’d be interested in meeting up to see if there is any proper chemistry. We’ve got a lot in common. We are both single, no kids and mid 30s.

I got it into my head a while back that he “just wasn’t that into me” or whatever that silly book was called. He sends long messages but I never got a flirtatious vibe. I’d really put him out of my head and then he sent me a message earlier this week (about a mutual interest), volunteering more info about himself than usual and, like most of his messages, peppered with 😊.
As in “Hey there, Ruth 😊” “please take care of yourself, stay safe 😊”

whenever I’ve messaged him first he always says “it’s really lovely to hear from you 😊”. I’ve had the odd 😉 from him...but usually not in any flirty situation...more like “hope braving the shops was worth it 😉”. Generally our communication is about our mutual interest and mutual friends.

Is the 😊 emoji significant in any way?! Is it some sort of secret “wink wink nudge nudge” code? Does it mean “hello I am unthreatening and like you as a friend please do not try and get in my boxers ”?

By not communicating with emojis at all in response am I fucking anything up?!

Please help a hopeless gal out!

If it wasn’t for this stupid pandemic, we probably would have been at a few events together and I’d be able to tell in person whether there’s anything there or not and I’d have asked him out if there was. But as it is, it’s all a bit awkward.

Based on previous use of this emoji one guy turned into an obsessive sort who was super “into me” which was alarming and the other turned out to be gay and in the closet.

I doubt either is the case with this fella but I guess I’m shit at emoji deciphering .

My guess is he means it as a smile but a bit of a more affectionate smile than just

As pp, it’s just a nice smile.
Do you not use emojis as much as him?
Some people Over use them to point you dont know what’s going on so could be case here haha

Thanks!

No, I don’t really use them at all except for with one girlfriend who uses them excessively and who I’m afraid to offend lol. The only emojis he uses are 😊 and 😉.

I guess I don’t see the point...

“Hey there, Ruth” or “you take care now” or “hope you had a lovely walk in the countryside” is great

“Hey there, Ruth 😊” “you take care now 😊” “hope you had a lovely walk in the countryside 😊”

For some reason makes me irrationally paranoid and I’m staring at that smug little beaming squinty eyed rosy cheeked fucker thinking “what do you mean?”

Clearly, I must want it to mean something.

But as you say...it’s just a smile FFS.

I think you are overthinking things. It's just a smiling face.

Maybe he smiles a lot when he's texting you.

You really are over thinking this. If he’s using it so much, he’s not thinking about using it significantly. It’s like using exclamation marks or kisses all the time. Don’t read anything into it.

Maybe he doesn't want to put 'xx' and been presumptive, but wants to convey his feelings a bit, rather than put nothing?

😂 this post cracked me up! Especially

I’m staring at that smug little beaming squinty eyed rosy cheeked fucker thinking “what do you mean?”

a friend and I are constantly trying to analyze texts and emojis. We tend to read way too much into them since usually they mean nothing sinister.

I think he’s just being nice and nothing more.

"This emoji is used to express positive feelings, from happiness to gratitude to affection. Because of its rosy cheeks, some people use the emoji to convey mild embarrassment."

I would say that a blushing smiley so more affectionate and indeed when I typed "blushing smiley" that exact one was offered by my phone.

I love an emoji 🙃

At least it wasn’t an aubergine!

It's what I'd call a warm smile.

He's literally using a smiley as punctuation!

I'd reply with something like 🍆😋😘😊 and see how he responds 😉

It’s probably just his ‘go to’ smiling emoji. I wouldn’t over-analyse it....

DO NOT REPLY WITH THE AUBERGINE EMOJI 🍆🍆🍆😂

@Wiredforsound

DO NOT REPLY WITH THE AUBERGINE EMOJI 🍆🍆🍆😂

Even worse aubergine peach

It's an affectionate smile 😊
As opposed to a happy or excited smile 😃

It suggests warmth and friendliness but should not be confused with the hug emoji 🤗

If he was feeling flirty you'd get 😘
And if he was properly loved up, you'd get 🥰 or 😍

If he was embarrassed you'd get 😬 or 😳

But under no circumstances should you respond to 😊 with 🍑 🍆 💦

😂

I see what you're saying - is it a warm, platonic smile or is it a warm, I think you're lovely smile? Who knows?! Don't over analyse it, but he sounds lovely so I think you need an excuse to meet him. You might need some more input from him on that shared hobby

Hopefully you're not both aubergine farmers or you'll never know where you stand.

For some reason makes me irrationally paranoid and I’m staring at that smug little beaming squinty eyed rosy cheeked fucker thinking “what do you mean?”

🤣🤣🤣🤣

That one is known as the smug face emoji in this house, courtesy of a very annoying and smug person who uses it all over the place. Said person also uses the aubergine a lot.

I wouldn’t overthink it, some people are just weirdly emoji driven!

Maybe he just doesn't "speak" emoji. I used to sign my texts to my granddaughter with flowers, lollipops, and chocolate kisses. Then her mother told me the "chocolate kisses" were actually turds.

@DivorcedAndDelighted

I'd reply with something like 🍆😋😘😊 and see how he responds 😉

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@GeorgiaGirl52

Maybe he just doesn't "speak" emoji. I used to sign my texts to my granddaughter with flowers, lollipops, and chocolate kisses. Then her mother told me the "chocolate kisses" were actually turds.

I love this.

They do look like Hershey’s Kisses now you mention it.

Yes, everyone, I’m being silly and as I already said I’ve been overthinking it.

It’s just a smile 😊. smug little fucker

At least you know exactly where you stand with 🍆 😉