uwu
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Used to portray happiness or someone wanting to appear cute. Used more or less as an expression. Originated in the 2000s as an emoticon, with U's capitalized: UwU. The expression is commonly associated with e-girls, furries, femboys, and anime fandoms.
Register: informalEra: 2020s
Sources & notes
Adapted from Wikipedia “Glossary of 2020s slang” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30). US Gen Z / internet usage.
Common questions
What does “uwu” mean?
Used to portray happiness or someone wanting to appear cute. Used more or less as an expression. Originated in the 2000s as an emoticon, with U's capitalized: UwU. The expression is commonly associated with e-girls, furries, femboys, and anime fandoms.
Is “uwu” formal or informal?
uwu is generally informal.