By SHIVALI BEST FOR MAILONLINE
Published: 08:47 EDT, 27 March 2025 | Updated: 08:47 EDT, 27 March 2025
Emoji now form a staple part of many people's daily messages - whether it's friendly smiley faces, flirty hearts, or cheeky aubergines.
If you're an emoji user, you may think you've got the characters cracked.
But a revelation about one popular emoji may surprise you.
Emoji reference website, Emojipedia, has revealed the true meaning of one of the buildings - and X users are baffled.
The emoji features a pink building with an H on it, leading many people to think it is a hospital.
However, Emojipedia has confirmed that the emoji actually means 'Love Hotel' - a hotel that can be rented by the hour.
The revelation has amazed users across X, including one who was left rather red-faced.
'My dumb a** thought that was a hospital!! I thought it had a heart because it was for times when you're happy about being at the hospital, like you just gave birth or you're visiting your newborn grandchild,' they tweeted.
Emojipedia, has revealed the true meaning of one of the buildings- and X users are baffled. The emoji features a pink building with an H on it, leading many people to think it is a hospital
If you're an emoji user, you may think you've got the characters cracked. But a revelation about one popular emoji may surprise you (stock image)
The cheeky emoji depicts a Love Hotel, or 'Rabu Hoteru' in Japanese.
'Love Hotel Emoji. A hotel that can be hired by the hour, instead of as accommodation for the evening,' Emojipedia explained.
'Sometimes mistaken for a get well soon emoji due to the similarity in appearance to the hospital.'
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.'
The true meaning has come as a shock to many users on X.
'I had this emoji in my bio because I thought it was a cuter hospital emoji!! ITS A LOVE HOTEL????' one user tweeted.
'I had this emoji in my bio because I thought it was a cuter hospital emoji!! ITS A LOVE HOTEL????' one user tweeted
Another added: 'idk who needs to hear this but yall [love hotel emoji] doesn't mean sending love from the HQ it is an emoji for love hotel'
And one joked: 'just realised this was a love hotel emoji. thought it was a cute hospital. thinking about all the times i have used it'
Another added: 'idk who needs to hear this but yall [love hotel emoji] doesn't mean sending love from the HQ it is an emoji for love hotel.'
And one joked: 'just realised this was a love hotel emoji. thought it was a cute hospital. thinking about all the times i have used it.'
The 'love hotel' emoji isn't the only one you've probably been using wrong.
While you might assume that a heart emoji just means love, in emoji slang each different colour actually has its own hidden meaning.
In the most common view, a red heart represents classic love or romantic feelings.
An orange heart is used for warmth, enthusiasm, or love between friends and family.
Meanwhile, a blue heart is used less for romance, and more frequently to express friendship or to say that something is cute.
Likewise, a black heart doesn't necessarily have any associations with death or dark emotions and is more often used as an alternative to the red heart for aesthetic reasons.
Drug emoji: Do you know what they mean?
Cannabis: Strawberry, dog, cherries, cake, ice cream or leaves
Cocaine: Nose, blowfish, petrol pump, snowman or snowflake
NOS (canister gas): Balloon
Ketamine: Horse
Types of drugs: Crystal, pill, syringe and cloud
Dealing drugs: Number Eight pool ball, eyes and plug