btn_scrollLeft
btn_scrollRight
icon_profile
Kappa

Kappa Meme

Status:
Confirmed
Year:
2011
Origin
Twitch

Kappa

Meme
Part of a series on Twitch Emotes
Status:
confirmed
Origin: Twitch
Year: 2011
Type: Emoticon

Added Feb 26, 2015 at 01:12PM EST by Miluk.

Updated Oct 25, 2020 at 10:38PM EDT by andcallmeshirley.

Read Edit History


colorful kappa graphic

About

Kappa is a graphic emoticon commonly used by trolls as a postscript to a sentence to convey sarcasm on the live streaming video platform Twitch; it's popularity has also lead to the emoticon being used as a form of spam.

Origin

The Kappa emote is based on a grey-scale photograph of Josh DeSeno[1], then an employee of Justin.TV working on the chat client, which was uploaded during the early days of Justin.TV, along with others emotes based on JTV employees.[5][6][7]


Hearthstone face person chin eyebrow forehead cheek nose hairstyle head jaw Battlefield 1 T-shirt face eyebrow facial expression forehead chin cheek black and white nose head monochrome photography hairstyle jaw portrait

Top entries this week

Spread

As of February 2014, the emote is used 900,000 times on average per day;[2] by June 2015 this had already increased to around 1 million times on average per day. Twitch has added a total of four emotes featuring Kappa: Kappa (), Keepo (), MiniK () and KappaHD (); another unique Kappa titled KappaRoss (Bob Ross headgear head forehead hat ), featuring the original with Bob Ross' hair, was added in October 2015 in celebration of Twitch Creative. On February 18th, 2012, r/kappa/ subreddit was established.[3] It has got over 13,900 readers. On July 13th, 2014, first submission for Kappa on Urban Dictionary was made,[4] and on October 13th, the top definition of the "Kappa" emote was submitted by R4D1AT10N.

KappaClaus

In December of 2015, Twitch introduced the KappaClaus emote,[8] a version of the Kappa emote with a Santa Claus hat on his head (shown below). The emote has typically seen an increase in use around December.[9]


Dota 2 face nose forehead headgear fashion accessory head hat


KappaPride

KappaPride is a Twitch emote featuring Kappa with a rainbow background used to affirm or inquire about one's homosexuality. A thread about the emote was posted to Bungie forums[10] in October of 2015. In October of 2015, a study by FiveThirtyEight[12] found that the emote was the second most-used emote on Twitch behind regular Kappa. On November 15th, 2016, Urban Dictionary user defined it as "Rainbow version of twitch emote Kappa. Can be used to affirm or ask about someone's homosexuality."[11] There are several variations on the image available on Twitch.[13]


T-shirt

Various Examples



ASCII Variation

There's also a popular ASCII used as a replacement for emoticon variantion:

░░░░▄▀▀▀▀▀█▀▄▄▄▄░░░░
░░▄▀▒▓▒▓▓▒▓▒▒▓▒▓▀▄░░
▄▀▒▒▓▒▓▒▒▓▒▓▒▓▓▒▒▓█░
█▓▒▓▒▓▒▓▓▓░░░░░░▓▓█░
█▓▓▓▓▓▒▓▒░░░░░░░░▓█░
▓▓▓▓▓▒░░░░░░░░░░░░█░
▓▓▓▓░░░░▄▄▄▄░░░▄█▄▀░
░▀▄▓░░▒▀▓▓▒▒░░█▓▒▒░░
▀▄░░░░░░░░░░░░▀▄▒▒█░
░▀░▀░░░░░▒▒▀▄▄▒▀▒▒█░
░░▀░░░░░░▒▄▄▒▄▄▄▒▒█░
░░░▀▄▄▒▒░░░░▀▀▒▒▄▀░░
░░░░░▀█▄▒▒░░░░▒▄▀░░░
░░░░░░░░▀▀█▄▄▄▄▀░░░░
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░


Search Interest

External References

[1] AngelList – Josh DeSeno

[2] Twitch Emotes – Kappa

[3] reddit – Kappa

[4] Urban Dictionary – Kappa

[5] Reddit – The Face Behind Kappa

[6] LazyThunk – The Kappa Page

[7] Quora – What does 'Kappa' mean with respect to the Twitch emote or when people say Kappa?

[8] Streamer News via Way Back Machine – Twitch Introduces The KappaClaus Global Emote

[9] Twitch – KappaClaus Emote

[10] Bungie – Define KappaPride

[11] Urban Dictionary – Kappa Pride

[12] FiveThirtyEight – How Kappa Became The Face Of Twitch

[13] KappaPridesearch

Latest Editorial And News

Recent Videos (19)

Recent Images (54)

Tags

Additional References

Entry Editors (13)

Request Editorship

Investigator & Cataloger & Commentator

Z.

Database Moderator & Rage Comicologist

Entry Moderator & YouTube Scatologist

YouTubeologist

Database Moderator & God Tier Swag & Protip Advisor & Karma Tycoon & Meme Boi

Sr. Entry Moderator & iFunnyologist & Turtle Emoji

Y

Digital Archaeologist & Treasurer & Collection Butler

Know Your Meme Universal Champion

Sr. Entry Moderator

Digital Archaeologist & Treasurer & Media Chauffeur

View More Editors

Comments

The latest from KYM

I didn't hear no bell meme from South Park overlaid with the WallStreetBets subreddit logo and the gamestop logo.
Editorial

With the saga of WallStreetBets and retail investors vs. hedge funds far from over, we take a look at the past week's events to see where the story's at and what the latest developments are.

Feb 4th, 2021 05:57 PM
Editorial
It's Just So Beautiful
Photo
Photo
Feb 4th, 2021 10:50 AM
Image
Whether We Wanted It Or Not, This 'Destiny' Copypasta Is Here To Stay
Meme

The "Cabal on Mars" copypasta has been huge in the 'Destiny' community since the game's release.

Feb 4th, 2021 02:55 PM
Trending
Animated Kroger Ad With Massive GrubHub Delivery Dance Vibes Gets Similar Meme Treatment
Meme

Just when you thought they couldn't possibly shove another dance-heavy animated grocery store ad into down your neck they brought out the second course.

Feb 4th, 2021 04:57 PM
Fresh
The Many Versions Of Morshu
icon_video-2x
Video

So many Morshus, so little credit.

Feb 4th, 2021 06:07 PM
Video

We see that you're using an ad-blocker!


Know Your Meme is an advertising supported site and we noticed that you're using an ad-blocking solution.

To continue reading this entry:


Turn off your ad-blocker

DO IT NOW

Login to Know Your Meme

LOGIN OR SIGN-UP

Word Up! You must login or signup first!

Abm

No thanks, take me back to the meme zone!

Close [X]