Which emoji is often used to represent the 'see no evil' proverb?

The See-No-Evil Monkey emoji is the one commonly used to represent the “see no evil” proverb. Its Unicode character is 🙈, officially named SEE-NO-EVIL MONKEY, and it shows a monkey covering its eyes.

The emoji belongs to the trio known as the Three Wise Monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. The other two are 🙉, Hear-No-Evil Monkey, which covers its ears, and 🙊, Speak-No-Evil Monkey, which covers its mouth. Together, they depict a moral idea often summarized as refusing to witness, listen to, or discuss wrongdoing.

The proverb’s imagery is strongly associated with Japanese culture, where the monkeys are called Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru. Their exact historical path is complicated, with related ideas and images appearing in older Chinese and Japanese traditions.

In modern texting, 🙈 can also signal embarrassment, shyness, awkwardness, or playful avoidance. Those meanings are common extensions, but the “see no evil” identification is the canonical answer to this question.