With Valentine’s Day finally here, tech–savvy people around the world will be showering their loved ones with heart emojis.
From the yellow heart to the heart with a ribbon, users have dozens of options to choose from – not to mention several others with a heart element.
While you might just select one based on the colour, many of the heart emojis actually have hidden meanings.
Now, the Daily Mail has sifted through all 36 options to help ensure you don’t cause a stir this Valentine’s Day.
If someone sends you the classic red heart, they’re probably saying ‘I love you’.
But if it’s the yellow heart you receive, you could be getting friend–zoned.
So, which heart is best suited to your boyfriend, and which could land you in hot water with your mum?
Hover over, or tap the 36 heart emojis below to find out their true meanings.
To understand the true meaning of the heart emojis, the Daily Mail turned to EmojiMeanings.net – a site where you can search for any emoji and find out the true meaning.
‘The goal is to create a unique resource that everyone can use to find out the meaning of an emoji – and maybe even avoid arguments with your loved ones,’ explained Mark Berger, who runs the site.
‘I want to allow everyone to share their own thoughts and opinions about emoji, thus promoting a diverse understanding of their use.
‘Together, we can better understand the world of emoji and avoid misunderstandings.’
Red hearts
There are two red hearts for you to choose from – the classic Red Heart, and the Heart Suit.
The Red Heart is the most popular of them all, according to an analysis by Emojipedia.
‘This heart appears in 8 of every 1,000 tweets throughout the year, appearing more than twice as often as Two Hearts, the next most popular heart emoji in our sample of tweets,’ it explained.
There are two red hearts for you to choose from – the classic Red Heart, and the Heart Suit
Thankfully, you can’t go too wrong sending either of the red hearts to a loved one this Valentine’s Day.
According to EmojiMeanings, the Red Heart is a ‘universal sign of deep feelings and intimate relationships’, while the Heart Suit suggests ‘opportunities should be seized and risks taken’.
Other coloured hearts
Beyond the classic red, there are 10 coloured hearts to choose from – blue, light blue, green, yellow, purple, black, orange, white, brown, or pink.
If you’re planning to text someone you fancy this Valentine’s Day, it’s probably best to avoid the blue, green, yellow, pink or orange options.
These are all associated with feelings of friendship rather than romantic love, and could land you firmly in the ‘friendship zone’.
Some of the other coloured hearts could work if you’re going a bit left–field with your Valentine’s Day message.
The black heart hints at a ‘dark and twisted sense of humour, or grief and sorrow,’ while the purple heart is ‘an expression of glamor or wealth’.
If the basic hearts don’t tickle your fancy, you might turn your attention to the elaborated hearts
Elaborated hearts
If the basic hearts don’t tickle your fancy, you might turn your attention to the elaborated hearts.
The Heart With Arrow is a classic option, indicating that Cupid’s arrow has hit you and you’re hopelessly in love.
However, if you’re doting on someone, the Sparkling Heart is the way to go, according to EmojiMeanings.
Other classic options include the Growing Heart (shows your feelings are getting deeper), Heart Exclamation (you really like someone), or the Heart on Fire, which represents ‘strong love with a lot of passion’.
Meanwhile, if you’re sad that you don’t have a Valentine, you might opt for the Broken Heart or the Mending Heart.
Other hearts
There are dozens of other heart emojis for you to choose from, including faces with hearts, heart hands, and even an anatomical heart.
Be careful if you plan to send the emoji of a building with a heart on it. While many people think this is a hospital, it actually means ‘Love Hotel’ – a hotel that can be rented by the hour
However, be careful if you plan to send the emoji of a building with a heart on it.
While many people think this is a hospital, it actually means ‘Love Hotel’ – a hotel that can be rented by the hour.
Love hotels are found across Japan, and usually feature extravagant signs – just like the pink emoji.
‘Typically you can rent a room for a minimum of one to three hours during the day, called a “rest”, or for the whole night, called a “stay”, which usually starts after 10 pm,’ Japan Guide explains on its website.
‘As the name suggests, the main purpose of love hotels is to provide couples with a room to spend some undisturbed time together.’
