The shrimp emoji π¦ mostly means seafood, but in slang it is also a way to call someone small, or to tease them. Context decides which, and you should be careful before sending it as a joke.
What does the shrimp emoji mean?
- Shrimp and seafood. The plain meaning: the shrimp (or prawn) itself, a shrimp dish, a seafood dinner or a trip to the coast. Emojipedia describes it as a small crustacean with a long tail, often used to represent seafood.
- Short or small. wikiHow lists "short height" among the things π¦ can stand for, and a "feeling of incompleteness". Calling someone a shrimp is an old teasing word for a small person.
- A jab about size. The top-rated answers on our shrimp page say it is sometimes used to tease a man about the size of his body parts. It is an insult, not a compliment, so don't send it to someone you don't know well.
- Respect for a commanding officer. Urban Dictionary has a niche in-joke entry that uses the shrimp as a sign of respect in group chats such as Slack or WhatsApp. It is not widely used.
What does it mean when someone sends you a shrimp emoji?
- In a chat about food or plans, it is seafood.
- After a photo of you or a comment about size, it is a tease, and may be meant to hurt.
- From a friend, it is usually banter.
If you aren't sure what is meant, you can ask. You don't have to reply to an emoji that is a put-down.
Shrimp π¦ vs fried shrimp π€
The fried shrimp π€ is a different emoji. It shows tempura-style shrimp, the Japanese dish ebi furai, and is almost always about food.
Shrimp emoji facts
- Name: shrimp
- Added: Unicode 9.0 (2016); Apple added it in iOS 10.2
- Looks like: a pink-orange curled shrimp. Emojipedia notes that on Apple's design the antennae curl under the body, and designs differ across platforms.
Seen it used another way? Add your take on the shrimp emoji page to see every meaning in one place.