The 'Wimk' emote depicts a close-up of an orange/ginger cat's face with one eye closed in a winking expression. This emote is commonly used to convey a playful, mischievous, or flirtatious sentiment in Twitch chat. The winking expression suggests the viewer is 'in on the joke' or sharing a knowing moment with others in the chat.
Origin
The Wimk emote is part of the third-party emote ecosystem (likely on 7TV, BTTV, or FrankerFaceZ). It appears to be a cropped and zoomed-in image of a ginger cat making a winking expression. While the exact origin date isn't confirmed, similar cat emotes became popular on Twitch around 2018-2020 as part of the broader trend of animal reaction emotes. The name 'Wimk' is likely a deliberate misspelling of 'wink' to give the emote a cute, playful quality.
When to use
The Wimk emote is typically used in the following contexts:
- When a streamer or chat member makes an innuendo or subtle joke - To indicate flirtation or playfulness - When someone is being sarcastic or not entirely serious - To suggest that something sneaky or mischievous is happening - As a reaction to cute moments involving animals, especially cats - When acknowledging an inside joke within the community
