The Role of Emojis on Social Media in Cross-Cultural Communication: A Case Study of Chinese and the United States University Students

¹ Xinglin College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226236, China
² School of English Education, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China

^* Corresponding author: 20220903006@mail.gdufs.edu.cn

Abstract

With the popularization of social media, emojis have become an indispensable non-verbal communication tool in cross-cultural communication. However, there are differences in the interpretation of emojis in different cultural contexts, which may lead to misunderstanding and communication gaps. By analyzing the communication cases of Chinese and American university students, the multiple roles of emojis in cross-cultural communication and the root of their problems are discussed from the perspectives of language expression and understanding, emotional and affective communication, cultural background differences, social media network contexts, and behavioral habits. Studies have shown that high-context cultures, such as China, tend to use emojis with ritual and social conditioning functions, while low-context cultures, such as the United States, pay more attention to the literal meaning of the symbols and the intuitive expression of emotions. In addition, the differences in the online contexts of social media platforms in China and the United States also influence how and how often emojis are used. To solve these problems, the article proposes technical solutions, such as the development of intelligent cultural adaptation services and algorithmic recommendation systems, to help users understand and use emojis more accurately and reduce misunderstandings in cross-cultural communication.