Also known as: skull emoji, death emoji, dead, dying of laughter, Gen Z skull
The Skull emoji (ð) has undergone one of the biggest meaning shifts in emoji history. Originally meaning death, danger, or poison, Gen Z repurposed it to mean "I'm dead" â from laughing so hard. It's essentially the new ð for younger users.
When someone says "that's so funny I'm dead ð", they're using the skull as an intensifier for humor. It can also express figurative death: "This assignment is killing me ð" or "I stayed up until 4am ð". Unlike the literal skull-and-crossbones â ïļ, the plain skull ð is used almost exclusively in the slang sense by younger generations. If you see a millennial or Gen X use it, they might still mean it literally â context is everything.
Not sure if ð is the right choice? The Skull emoji is best for expressing the specific emotions described above. If you need a different nuance, try one of the related emojis listed above. Each emoji carries its own emotional weight and cultural context â choosing the right one can completely change how your message lands.
Click the copy button above to copy the Skull emoji (ð) to your clipboard. Then paste it anywhere â iMessage, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, email, or any app that supports emojis. On desktop, you can also right-click the emoji and select "Copy Emoji" or use Ctrl+C (Cmd+C on Mac) after selecting it.