Meaning
What does Crying Wojak mean?
Crying Wojak is a modified version of the popular meme format Feels Guy, also known as Wojak.
In this edit, the character, drawn in MS Paint is depicted with a painful grin and tears as well as snot pouring from his facial orifices; his eyes and his nose.
Sometimes it is partially featured in the I’m Fine Wojak meme, in which the character’s face is covered with a mask, with a smug or happy face, while it is still visible, that underneath the mask he is crying profusely.
Online, the meme is used as a reaction image macro, due to its expressive imagery.
Origin
What's the origin of Crying Wojak?
Although the exact origin of the “Crying Wojak” meme is not known, the term started taking off according to Google search trends in 2014, however, an earlier version of Feels Guy burying his face in his palms was already known as “Crying Wojak” in 2012.
The earliest comic, containing the character was uploaded to 4chan in 2014, presenting viewers with the evolution of Wojak, who is more and more devastated every year, speculating that by 2016, he will be pouring tears and snot.
Spread & Usage
How did Crying Wojak spread?
Memes featuring “Crying Wojak” are scattered all over the internet, on meme sites, 4chan discussions as well as YouTube content, introducing users to the colorful but sad life of Feels Guy.
It started gaining popularity in 2016, often paired with Smug Pepe, referencing Donald Trump.
One popular edition of “Crying Wojak” is Pink Wojak, which is an exaggerated version of the original drawing, often seen with tears replaced by blood.
Over the course of the late 2010’s, the rise in the popularity of the Doomer meme meant a steady rise in the popularity of the devastated depiction of Wojak, spawning a wide variety of edits, with girl, Zoomer or Soyboy versions emerging by 2020.
External resources
- Know Your Meme – Frustrated Wojak / Crying Wojak