Here's what those mysterious emoji on Snapchat actually mean

If you're a Snapchat user, you've no doubt noticed the subtle quirks and hidden tools that are uniquely Snapchat.

Chief among them: the seemingly random emoji that appear next to your friends' names, like this:

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Those emojis are anything but random. In fact, they're Snapchat's way of helping you keep track of your relationships. Each emoji has a different meaning, and serves as a reminder of who you snap and how often you snap them.

Snapchat calls them "friend emojis," and they exist to symbolize things like your best friends, or your ongoing Snapstreaks. The emoji are pre-set for every user (although they are customizable, too).

But it's not always easy to tell what the emoji mean.

So whether you're new to Snapchat or a veteran user, here's a guide to the meanings behind every Snapchat emoji.

Alex Heath contributed to an earlier version of this story.

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