Overview
Interpretation
Emotion and mood
The kaomoji (/_＼) shows a shy, flustered, and slightly ashamed mood, like someone who wants to hide their face and not look directly at what is happening. It feels like a stronger "I can’t face this" compared to softer shy kaomoji with cute mouths. The flat underscore mouth makes the character look more frozen and overwhelmed, as if they are thinking "nooo, I can’t watch" or "this is too embarrassing," while still being more cute than tragic.
You can use (/_＼) when you are embarrassed by something you did, when friends dig up your old posts, when a scene is too cringey or too sweet to look at directly, or when you are shy about attention you are getting. It is great for those moments when you are half laughing and half dying inside from second-hand or self-inflicted embarrassment. The feeling sits between shy, anxious, and amused: it is not truly serious shame, but it is stronger than a light blush.
Visual breakdown
- The / on the left and ＼ on the right look like two arms lifted up to cover the face, forming a clear "covering eyes" pose.
- The parentheses ( and ) create the outline of the head, framing the hidden face and making it feel like a small person curling in.
- The _ in the center acts as a flat, expressionless mouth. With no eyes drawn, it feels like the eyes are completely hidden behind the hands, while the mouth is stiff from embarrassment or shock.
Together, these parts make (/_＼) look like someone turning away and pressing their hands over their face, shoulders tensed, unable to watch what is happening, but still present and reacting.
Typical use cases
You can use (/_＼) in many online situations, for example:
- When someone finds and shares your old, awkward posts, photos, or messages and you want to scream and hide.
- When you make a mistake or typo in public chat and feel strongly embarrassed about it.
- When a scene in a drama, anime, or game is so cringey or intimate that you want to cover your eyes while still following the story.
- When your friends talk too directly about your crush, your feelings, or something you are not ready to face.
- When you remember an old social disaster, slip-up, or childish behavior and feel a wave of "why was I like that" hitting you.
Overall, (/_＼) is a strong, cute kaomoji for "I can’t look," heavy embarrassment, and dramatic face-hiding reactions.
Usage guide
Tips
Overview
The kaomoji (/_＼) is perfect for intense embarrassment, social-cringe, and "I can’t look" reactions. It adds a dramatic, anime-like sense of hiding behind your hands, showing that you are overwhelmed by shyness, awkwardness, or second-hand shame. Use it when something is so embarrassing, awkward, or emotionally loud that you want to disappear for a moment, while still keeping the tone playful rather than truly dark.
When to use
- When someone digs up your old, awkward posts, photos, or messages and shares them in chat.
- When you send a message to the wrong person or channel and realize it too late.
- When a drama, anime, or show suddenly drops a super cringey or ultra-romantic scene.
- When friends talk too openly about your crush, feelings, or private jokes in front of others.
- When you remember something dumb or childish you did in the past and feel a wave of shame and amusement.
Example lines
- Why did you send my old picture to the whole group (/_＼)
- I can’t believe I just wrote that in the wrong chat (/_＼)
- This scene is so cringe but I can’t stop watching (/_＼)
- I just remembered what I did in high school… help (/_＼)
Tips and notes
- Use (/_＼) with friends, fandoms, and casual chats where dramatic, cute reactions are normal.
- It works well with phrases like “I’m so embarrassed,” “social death,” or “cringe” to show clearly that you are joking about your shame.
- In serious situations, be careful: this kaomoji may make your reaction look lighter or more playful than you actually feel.
- If you truly need to set boundaries or express real discomfort, combine (/_＼) with clear sentences so people do not think you are only joking.
Usage examples
Real conversation samples that feature this kaomoji.
Example 1
Example 2