# 😜 Meaning: What the Winking Tongue Emoji Means in a Text

> 😜 meaning from a girl or a guy: the winking face with tongue means 'just kidding', silly or cheeky. See when 😜 is flirty in a text and how to reply.

Source: https://thecringe.app/meaning/winking-tongue-emoji · Updated 2026-10-29

**Short answer:** 😜 is the winking face with tongue. It means "just kidding", "I'm being silly" or "I'm teasing you". From a crush it is playful, and sometimes flirty. It is more goofy than sexy, so it usually means they feel relaxed around you.

## What does 😜 mean?

The official name is **Winking Face with Tongue**. One eye winks, one eye is wide open and the tongue is out. It looks like a kid making a funny face for a photo.

Common uses:

- **Joking:** "I'm obviously the better driver 😜"
- **Teasing:** "someone's grumpy without coffee 😜"
- **Being silly:** a goofy selfie or a dumb plan
- **Softening a cheeky line:** "you owe me dinner now 😜"

## 😜 from a guy vs from a girl

**From a guy,** 😜 is often how he flirts without being serious. "I bet you can't beat me at Mario Kart 😜" is a playful challenge. Teasing is a classic way to show interest, because it creates a little game between you. If he teases you but stays kind, it is a good sign.

**From a girl,** 😜 often shows a fun, silly side. If she is goofy with you, she feels comfortable. "Maybe I'll let you buy me ice cream 😜" is a light, flirty test. She is joking, but also not really joking.

## 😜 vs 😉 vs 😝

These three look similar, but the mood is different:

- **😉 [Wink](https://thecringe.app/meaning/wink-emoji):** "you know what I mean". Can be quite flirty.
- **😜 Winking with tongue:** silly and cheeky. More playful than flirty.
- **😝 Squinting with tongue:** pure goofy. Like "bleh!"
- **😛 Tongue out:** cheeky, a bit cute.

## 😜 in context

- **After a joke about you:** teasing. Usually friendly and fun.
- **After a bold offer:** "come cook for me then 😜". A flirty test wrapped in a joke.
- **After something a bit mean:** "you're so short 😜". The emoji says "no hard feelings".
- **😜😜:** extra silly. They are in a good mood.

## Replies to 😜

**Flirty:**

- "careful, I might take you up on that"
- "is that a challenge? because I'll win 😏"

**Friendly:**

- "lol you wish"
- "ok clown 😂"

**Playful:**

- "rude. accurate, but rude"
- "say that again and see what happens 😜"

**Not interested:**

- "haha"
- "ok lol"

## What 😜 says about interest

Playful teasing is often a sign that someone wants to keep the chat fun and a bit personal. But some people tease everyone. So look for more: do they tease only you? Do they also ask real questions and want to meet? If they flirt with jokes but never make a plan, that can be one of the [mixed signals](https://thecringe.app/blog/mixed-signals) that keep you guessing.

<aside class="cta-box"><p class="cta-title">Was that 😜 a joke or a flirt?</p><p>Paste the message into the text decoder. AI tells you what it most likely means and suggests 3 replies. Free, no sign-up, 5 texts a day.</p><a class="cta-btn" href="/text-decoder">Decode the message</a></aside>

## FAQ

### Is 😜 flirty?

It can be. After a cheeky offer or a tease about you, it is often flirty. With friends, it is just silly.

### What does 😜 mean from a girl?

She is joking or teasing you. If the joke is about the two of you, there is a good chance she is flirting a little.

### Is 😜 rude?

Not usually. It makes a joke feel light. If the words are mean, the emoji doesn't fully fix that.

### What is the difference between 😜 and 😉?

😉 is a smoother, more flirty wink. 😜 adds the tongue, so it feels sillier and less serious.