Monkey emojis meaning: A guide to using the symbols on social media

THOUSANDS of emojis are available to use for savvy texters from coloured love hearts, food and even a whole range of animals.

One of the most popular is the range of monkey emojis - here is a helpful guide on how to expertly use the symbols online.

How many monkey emojis are there?

There are five monkey related emojis in total.

All of them show the same monkey but with varying hand and arm placements.

Four show just the primate's head as the fifth is of the whole monkey.

They follow a similar theme of the popular cheeky monkey proverb "hear no evil, see no evil, say no evil".

Standard monkey emoji

The most simple version of the monkey emoji shows the primate with its mouth wide open staring at the camera.

As it is just the monkey's face without any gestures it can be used in any number of situations.

Due to the fact it is a monkey, it is commonly used to represent playfulness or naughtiness.

This emoji is a commonly used when people are showing that they're being light-hearted and fun.

People can make it clear that the tone of their message is intended to be playful rather than serious through the monkey.

It was first seen in 2015.

See no evil monkey

The most common monkey emoji is the see no evil version which shows a beaming primate putting his hands over his eyes.

This is often used between close friends and is a funny way of showing embarrassment.

It can also be used when owning up to a blunder in a much more comedic and sympathetic way.

Choosing to use this emoji can therefore mean users are looking on the bright side of a situation.

It is also be used to show shyness or cheekiness.

The emoji was first added to the ever-growing list of symbols back in 2015.

It's cute design has only slightly changed over the years with the hands and ears becoming more realistic.

Hear no evil monkey

The second of the three monkey emojis has its hands over its ears and represents one third of the three wise monkeys in the iconic proverb.

It can be used in a whole range of varying contexts with it often being left to the user to determine how it will be inferred.

But, it is most commonly used to show a texter trying to avoid hearing bad news.

Some people may use it as a sign of ignorance where as others see it as a chance to be cheeky and get off lightly.

It can also be used to show someone that you don't want to listen to what they have to say.

Alternatively, people use it to show shock or disbelief at being told something.

It was added at the same time as the "see no evil" monkey.

Speak no evil monkey

The third of the cute trio shows a monkey covering its mouth.

It is the final monkey thought to represent the "speak no evil"; part of the proverb.

This one is used when people are suggesting they're unable to talk about something, or have said something that they weren't supposed to.

Often it is used when making a controversial statement online or when users reveal something they could have kept quiet.

It could also mean that someone has a secret and they are refusing to speak about it so use the emoji to hide the truth.

Alternatively, it can represent someone who is shocked and is covering their mouth in surprise.

It was also added alongside the other two in 2015 and has changed in a similar fashion to the other symbols.

Full body monkey

The final option in the monkey emoji collection is the full body primate which shows the same style animal but not just it's face.

The monkey is shown in full profile facing left, sitting on its hind legs with a long, curled tail with a similar playful smirk on its face.

It can be used interchangeably with the standard monkey but is widely regarded as the least popular version available.