囧 Character Emoticon Indicating Sadness Frustration Shock Amusement

囧

An emoticon indicating sadness, frustration, shock, or amusement. The character 囧 jiǒng (jyohng—the o sound is long), which dates back to ancient times, originally meant “bright” but has taken on this new meaning because it looks like a sad face (or a shocked or amused face, depending on your interpretation). “Jiǒng culture” has taken off as a full-fledged fad that has spilled over into real life—the character can even be found on T-shirts, bags, and other accessories.