thinking (Animated)

Anime girl with a loading icon spinning above her head and a confused expression.
Free for your Discord server

What does the thinking emoji mean?

A cute anime girl buffering while trying to process a thought.

This emoji features a classic 'kawaii' anime character with a loading icon spinning above her head, perfectly capturing the feeling of being mentally overwhelmed or confused. It is a staple in Discord servers for moments when someone is trying to understand a complex message, waiting for a response, or simply feeling a bit slow to react. The visual trope of a 'buffering' brain is a popular internet shorthand for temporary cognitive lag.

When to use it

  • Expressing confusion during a complex tech discussion
  • Signaling that you are currently processing information
  • Reacting to a nonsensical or weird comment
  • Waiting for a slow response in chat

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How to add this emoji

Add to Discord
  1. Click Download GIF above to save the thinking image.
  2. Open Discord and go to Server Settings → Emoji.
  3. Click Upload Emoji and choose the downloaded file.
  4. Give it a name and save. You need the Manage Emojis and Stickers permission.
Add to Slack
  1. Download the thinking image.
  2. Open the Slack emoji picker and click Add Emoji.
  3. Upload the file, name it, and save.
Add to Revolt/Stoat
  1. Download the thinking image.
  2. Open Server Settings → Emojis in Revolt or Stoat.
  3. Upload the file and name your new emoji.
Add to Guilded
  1. Download the thinking image.
  2. Go to Server Settings → Emotes in Guilded.
  3. Upload the file and give it a name.