Represents a monster, villain, or scary energy — but in a cartoonish, exaggerated way. Despite the Unicode name “ogre,” the design actually comes from early Japanese emoji standards and looks closer to the folklore Oni, so the vibe is more playful “angry beast mode” than true evil.
Your friend says they’ll eat your fries if you’re late.
Touch them and you’ll meet the ogre 👹
In Japan, 👹 directly represents the oni (鬼) — a horned demon from folklore. It’s not pure evil but more of a troublemaker spirit used in festivals and jokes. Kids know it from Setsubun, where people throw beans and shout “鬼は外！” (“Oni out!”). Online, Japanese users might use 👹 to say “I’m mad,” “you’re in trouble,” or even “I’m the scary teacher/mom today,” often in a humorous or self-mocking way.
Related emojis that share similar meanings or usage.
