The 'hrmph' emote represents a feeling of mild annoyance, stubbornness, disapproval, or grumpy disagreement. It's used when viewers want to express that they're slightly bothered by something but in a playful, not-too-serious way. The emote conveys a pouty, arms-crossed type of attitude - like when someone is mildly upset but doesn't want to make a big deal about it. It's often used humorously to show mock offense or playful disagreement with the streamer or other chatters.
Origin
The 'hrmph' emote originated from the character Pepe the Frog, a popular internet meme that has been widely adapted across various platforms. This particular variation shows Pepe with a grumpy, disgruntled expression wearing what appears to be a blue collar or clothing. The emote became popular on Twitch and was added to various third-party emote services like BetterTTV (BTTV), FrankerFaceZ (FFZ), and 7TV in the early-to-mid 2010s as streamers and communities adopted custom Pepe variants to express different emotions. The specific 'hrmph' version gained traction as communities sought ways to express mild annoyance or stubborn disagreement in chat.
When to use
When a streamer makes a decision viewers playfully disagree with (like choosing the 'wrong' game to play or making a questionable in-game choice)
As a response to friendly banter or light teasing in chat
When expressing mock frustration at stream delays or technical issues
To show playful stubbornness when the streamer ignores chat's suggestions
As a reaction to losing a bet or prediction in chat
When the streamer says something viewers find mildly annoying but in a lighthearted way
