Emojis have never been more popular than they are now. They’re even acceptable as standalone replies in a conversation. But are you using them properly? Maybe not, because several emojis mean something entirely different than what you might expect.

Here are five emojis that may surprise you.

misinterpreted-emoji-grinning

Grinning face with smiling eyes: This face is commonly used as a variant of the Grimacing face, but it's really a variant of the Grinning face. Does it mean cheekiness? Impishness? Neither. It's just a big smile.

misinterpreted-emoji-ballet

Girl with hands above her head: I thought it meant "No way!" Or maybe even ballet. In reality, she’s raising her arms to make an Okay sign with her body. Um, okay.

misinterpreted-emoji-waitress

Girl holding an invisible tray: Is she being sassy? No. Is she saying "tada"? Nope. Apparently she’s an Information Desk person who’s just being friendly.

misinterpreted-emoji-frustrated

Face with violent nostrils: Some interpret this one as “frustrated”, “being in a huff”,  or even “angry like a bull”. It's actually meant to show triumph. Go figure.

misinterpreted-emoji-disappointed

Scrunched up face with closed eyes: If you guessed "helpless and on the verge of tears", then you're right. I thought it conveyed disappointment, as in “Oh no! Not that.”

So, how can you find out what emojis really mean?

You could use our Emoji-to-English dictionary to familiarize yourself with commonly-used expressions and their meanings, but sticking to the misinterpretations is more fun and hilarious, don't you think?

Did you already know what these emojis meant? Tell us about which emojis you always misinterpret down in the comments. We'd love to hear from you.

Image Credit: Man thinking with cardboard box on his head with serious emoticon face expression by igor.stevanovic via Shutterstock