Sad Kaomoji: Crying and Upset Faces to Copy and Paste
Sad kaomoji are Japanese-style text faces that show disappointment, tears or heartache. Tap any face to copy it: . Below are 30+ sad and crying faces sorted from mildly let down to sobbing, plus faces for happy tears and for comforting a friend.
Quick answer: for light disappointment use ; for crying use ; for dramatic, over-the-top sobbing use . Every face copies in one tap. For other moods, try our free kaomoji copy tool.
Sad Kaomoji by Intensity
Disappointed and Let Down
No tears yet, just a drooping face. These work for small letdowns: plans canceled, a sold-out item, a rainy weekend.
| Kaomoji | Meaning | Best used when |
|---|---|---|
| Quietly disappointed | “Oh no, that’s a shame” | |
| Deflated, mouth turned down | Bad news that isn’t a big deal | |
| Small, quiet and a bit sad | Feeling ignored or left out |
Crying Kaomoji
Tears appear as T, ; or ╥ in the eyes. These are the faces most people use when they say they’re crying in a chat.
| Kaomoji | Meaning | Best used when |
|---|---|---|
| Crying with a wobbly mouth | Something genuinely sad or painful | |
| Simple, classic tears | Everyday sadness, or tired frustration | |
| Teary and quiet | A sad song, a goodbye or a missed chance |
Sobbing and Dramatic Crying
Streams of tears and wide-open mouths make these faces loud. They are often used for comic exaggeration, like crying over the last slice of pizza being gone.
| Kaomoji | Meaning | Best used when |
|---|---|---|
| Full, noisy sobbing | Dramatic reactions, real or joking | |
| Crying into your hands | “I can’t believe this happened” | |
| Squeezed-shut eyes, tears flying | Cute, over-the-top sadness |
Lonely, Hurt and Heartbroken
Softer faces for longing, loneliness and hurt feelings. Because these can signal real sadness, pair them with a few words so the other person knows how you feel.
| Kaomoji | Meaning | Best used when |
|---|---|---|
| Hurt and pleading | Missing someone, or feeling sad after an argument | |
| Holding back tears | Trying to stay strong | |
| Worn out and low | A long, rough day |
Happy Tears and Being Touched
Not every tear is sad. These faces mix tears with a smile, perfect for when something sweet makes you emotional.
| Kaomoji | Meaning | Best used when |
|---|---|---|
| Smiling through tears | A kind message, a reunion or a touching video | |
| Moved and grateful | Someone remembered something important to you | |
| Overwhelmed, can’t hold it in | Proud moments, like a friend’s graduation |
Comforting Replies
When a friend sends a sad face, a gentle hug or pat can help. These faces offer comfort rather than sadness.
| Kaomoji | Meaning | Best used when |
|---|---|---|
| Patting a crying friend on the head | Comforting someone who is upset | |
| Offering a warm hug | “Come here, it’ll be okay” | |
| A sad hug, sharing the feeling | Showing you understand how they feel |
Reading the Tone: Joking Sad vs. Really Sad
Sad kaomoji are used both seriously and as a joke, so context does a lot of the work.
- Joking: dramatic faces like ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡ next to something small (“they’re out of my favorite donut”) are clearly playful.
- Serious: quiet faces like (｡•́︿•̀｡) or (╥﹏╥) after real news usually mean real sadness. Respond with words, not just another face.
- Tired, not sad: (T_T) is often used for exhaustion or frustration, like a long day at work.
- Check in: if a friend keeps sending sad faces, a simple “are you okay?” means more than any kaomoji.
Sad Kaomoji That Are Easy to Mix Up
- (T_T) vs. (╥﹏╥): (T_T) is a simple, everyday cry and often just means “ugh.” The wavy mouth in (╥﹏╥) makes it feel more emotional.
- (ಥ﹏ಥ) vs. (ಥ‿ಥ): both have teary eyes, but the ‿ smile turns the second into happy tears.
- (´・ω・`) vs. (´-ω-`): open dot eyes look let down, while closed eyes drawn with a dash look tired or resigned.
- (｡•́︿•̀｡) vs. (._.): the first is hurt and pleading; the second is small and quiet, closer to awkward or left out.
Using Sad Kaomoji on WhatsApp, Discord, Instagram and X
WhatsApp: faces with underscores, such as (T_T) and (;_;), are safe on their own, but two underscores in one message can turn the text between them italic. Send the face on its own or choose (ToT). Our kaomoji for WhatsApp guide has more tips.
Discord: Markdown can italicize text between underscores or asterisks, and faces with backticks, like (´・ω・`), can trigger code formatting when two appear in one message. Put a backslash before the symbol to keep it as text. See our Discord kaomoji guide.
Instagram, TikTok and X: short faces like (T_T) save space in bios and captions. On X, Japanese characters count as two characters each, so long sobbing faces use more of the limit.
How Sad Kaomoji Are Built
- Tears: T, ;, ╥, ಥ (a letter from the Kannada script) and இ (a Tamil letter) all look like eyes with tears running down.
- Mouths: ︿ and ︵ curve down, ﹏ wobbles, and Д is a wide-open crying mouth (it is the Cyrillic letter “De”).
- Extras: ･ﾟ･ and ゜゜ show tears flying, and ⊂ヽ is a hand wiping the eyes.
To make your own, start with a plain face like (・_・) and swap the eyes for tears: (T_T), (;_;) or (╥_╥).
Sad Kaomoji FAQ
What is the most common crying kaomoji?
The most widely used crying faces are and . (T_T) is simple and casual, while (╥﹏╥) feels more emotional.
What does (´・ω・`) mean?
It means quiet disappointment, like saying “aw, that’s too bad.” It is gentle and not very intense, so it suits small letdowns.
What kaomoji means happy tears?
shows teary eyes with a smile, which means being touched or happy enough to cry. It fits kind messages, reunions and proud moments.
How do I comfort someone with a kaomoji?
Send a hug or head-pat face such as (つ´∀｀)つ or (っ´ω`)ﾉ(╥ω╥), together with a few kind words. If the person seems really upset, a real message or call matters more than any face.
Why does my sad kaomoji turn italic on WhatsApp or Discord?
Both apps treat pairs of underscores or asterisks as formatting. If a message has two faces like (T_T), the text between the underscores can turn italic. Send faces separately or choose versions without underscores.
What is the difference between a sad kaomoji and a sad emoji?
Sad emoji such as 😢 are single pictures that look different on each device. Sad kaomoji are made of text characters, look the same everywhere, and come in many more shades, from mildly let down to dramatic sobbing.
Let It Out
Use for small letdowns, for real tears and a hug face when a friend needs comfort. For happier moods, open our free kaomoji copy tool.
Open the kaomoji tool
