What Does the 🧠 Brain Emoji Mean?

Co-authored by Madeleine Flamiano Reviewed by John Keegan

Last Updated: June 7, 2024 Fact Checked

Seriously curious about the 🧠 (brain) emoji? Maybe you've seen your friends drop it in a text or you've noticed a new inside joke that uses the 🧠 (brain) emoji. Well, we're here to tell you that you won't have to puzzle over the matter! In this article, we'll cover the common meanings of the 🧠 and walk you through how to use the 🧠 yourself. Read on to become a 🧠 expert and get an A+ from anyone who reads your message.

Section 1 of 3:

What does the 🧠 (brain) emoji mean?

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1
The 🧠 relates to intelligence. The 🧠 is a go-to way to compliment anyone’s cleverness. Whether they’re amazing at trivia, incredibly book smart, or a master of any subject, a 🧠 says you’re impressed with their wits.
- “You aced your test again?! 💯 You must have a perfect GPA. 🧠”
- “My sister knows all the Star Trek lore. 🖖🏿 She’s like an encyclopedia. 🧠”
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A 🧠 is great for any general chats about the mind. It’s easy to have a discussion about the human brain with the 🧠. If you want to chat about mental health, psychology, or even neuroscience⁠—the science of the brain⁠—drop a 🧠.
- “Mental health is so important! 💪 🧠 Take care of yourself this semester!”
- “Enrolled in 3 psychology classes. 🧠 📚 Excited to dive into the human mind.”
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People capture all their thoughts with the 🧠. Our brains are capable of so much, from deep thoughts to random daydreams. A 🧠 makes it easy to talk about whatever you got stuck on.
- “Deep shower thoughts…🚿🧠 Has my dog named me?”
- “Putting all my focus into being positive today! 🧠 ✨”
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A zombie's favorite food source⁠ is represented by a 🧠. If someone consumes a ton of zombie content, then they're probably bound to serve up a 🧠 with their juicy text.^{[1]
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- "Did you check out the new Resident Evil flick? It's to die for. 🧟 🧠"
- "Left 4 Dead is killing me! This level is crawling with zombies. 🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟🧠"
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On TikTok, a 🧠 hints at oral sex. Many younger users on platforms like TikTok use the 🧠 to talk about this act in a subtle way. The 🧠 makes sure their message goes under the radar, even if someone looks over their shoulder or sees the post later.^{[2]
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- “Hey! This TikTok claims doctors can tell if you’ve given 🧠. 😳”
- “What do you think about 🧠? Is it a first or second date treat? 🍭”

Section 2 of 3:

How to Use the 🧠 (Brain) Emoji

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1
Praise someone’s smarts. Give them a serious ego boost and celebrate their intelligence. Point out the subjects they shine in and say you’re amazed by them.
- “You smoke everyone at Scrabble! 🔤 🧠 It’s not even fair.”
- “I don’t know anyone else who can explain global trade so well! 🌎 🧠”
- “Her posts are pure gold. 🪙 They’re all so thoughtful! 🧠”
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Discuss any topic related to the mind. Have an honest chat about your mental health⁠—maybe you need to unwind or reset. Also discuss the psychology of others with the 🧠 and describe how the human mind fascinates you.^{[3]
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- “I need to take a mental health day to recharge. 🧠 🔋”
- “I’ve got way too much on my mind. 🌪️ 🧠 Going to put something silly on.”
- “I listen to ‘true crime’ podcasts because I love forensic psychology. 🕵️‍♀️🧠”
- “We’re learning about how to restore long-term memory in patients. 👩🏾‍⚕️🧠”
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Share what you’re concentrating on or curious about. If you’re swept away by a random thought, use the 🧠 to take everyone else along for the ride. Talk about what distracted you today or kept you up at night and entertain your friends.
- “Thinking about how I live better than any royal did in the Middle Ages. 🏰 🧠”
- “I’m curious…can psychic abilities be developed? 🧠 🔮 Thoughts?”
- “Drowning in Pre Calc homework! 🌊🧠 📚”
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Chew on the subject of zombies. Give your text some serious flavor by throwing in a 🧠. Talk about horror movies, video games, books, or even just a bad day that's left you feeling like a zombie.
- "Ate up I Am Legend in one night. Best zombie book ever! 🧟 🧠"
- "So, the movie wasn't great, but I still liked it. I can't resist zombies. 🧟‍♂️🧠"
- "Rawrrr! 🧟‍♀️ 🧠 This morning...I'm nonfunctional!"
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Bring up some “oral” on the down-low. If you don’t want anyone⁠—except those in the “know”⁠—to wise up about how spicy your chat is, cover up your tracks with the 🧠. Anyone who isn’t aware of the 🧠’s secret meaning will think your message is totally innocent.
- “I really want to practice my 🧠 skills.”
- “I’m a firm believer in giving and receiving 🧠. Fair’s fair. ⚖️”
- “I express my love with 🧠. 💕 😏”

Section 3 of 3:

Simillar Emojis

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This versatile expression can capture someone who’s thoughtful, confused, or skeptical.
This is similar to the 🤔 (thinking face) emoji and describes a person who is “looking closely” into a matter.
This emoji typically means someone’s mind is “blown” because they’ve just discovered an incredible new fact or started to see the world in another light.^{[4]
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People usually throw in this emoji when they feel really knowledgeable about a certain subject and want to jokingly point out they’re the “expert” on the matter.
This emoji celebrates the fact that someone was smart enough to finish school and earn their diploma.
The thought bubble 💭 (emoji) can represent any idea, whether it’s seriously profound or totally silly.
A 💡(light bulb) emoji symbolizes that the “light bulb” went off in someone’s head and that they just had a brilliant thought.
When the 👅 (tongue) emoji or the 👄 (mouth) emoji is paired with the 💦 (sweat drops) emoji, it’s another way to bring up oral sex—just like the 🧠.