Pronunciation: [ɪmˈə͡ʊd͡ʒi] (IPA) 
The word "emoji" refers to a small digital image or icon used to express an emotion or idea. It is spelled /ɪˈmoʊdʒi/, with the first syllable pronounced as "ee" and the second syllable pronounced as "moh-jee." The "j" sound is achieved by combining the "d" sound with the vowel sound in "oe." This spelling is derived from the Japanese language, where "e" means picture and "moji" means character, making "emoji" mean picture character.
Emoji is a noun that refers to a small digital image or icon used to express an emotion, idea, or concept in electronic communication. The term originated from the Japanese words "e" (meaning "picture") and "moji" (meaning "character"). These pictographs have become a fundamental part of modern online communication, allowing individuals to visually convey their feelings in a concise and universal manner.
Emojis often depict facial expressions, animals, objects, and activities, presenting a vast range of emotions and symbols that can enhance the tone and context of written messages. They are commonly accessed and utilized through virtual keyboards or specific software applications, providing users with an extensive library of pictorial options to complement their written text. These digital characters are prevalent across social media platforms, messaging apps, emails, and other forms of online communication.
The use of emojis provides a more nuanced and expressive form of communication, transcending linguistic and cultural barriers. They add layers of emotion, tone, and personality to text-based messages, enabling individuals to convey humor, sarcasm, sadness, excitement, and a myriad of other sentiments effectively. Emojis have become a vital tool for digital expression and are widely appreciated for their ability to facilitate quick and intuitive communication in the digital realm.
Overall, emojis serve as a visual language that complements written text, allowing individuals to communicate more succinctly and expressively in the fast-paced and diverse world of online communication.
The word "emoji" has its roots in Japanese. It is a combination of two Japanese words: "e" (絵), meaning "picture" or "image", and "moji" (文字), meaning "character" or "letter". The term was coined in the late 1990s by Shigetaka Kurita, who was working on a team developing an early mobile internet platform in Japan. He combined the words to describe the small images or icons that could be used to convey emotions and other concepts in text messages. Eventually, the term "emoji" gained worldwide recognition and is now commonly used to refer to these pictorial characters used in digital communication.
