The happy and the sad Lenny face use the same eyes, the same brackets and the same nose. Only one invisible helper changes. It is a combining character, a mark that has no place of its own and sits on the letter next to it.
Smile mark vs frown mark
◌͜U+035CCombining double breve below. A wide curve that hangs under two letters and smiles in ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).
◌̯U+032FCombining inverted breve below. A small arch under the ʖ that turns the mouth down.
ʖU+0296Latin letter inverted glottal stop. Old phonetic writing used it for a click sound. Here it is the nose and mouth.
The dotted circle ◌ only shows where the mark would sit. It is not part of the face.
Because the marks are so small, each font draws them a little differently. On some phones the frown sits too low or too far to the side. That is not a broken copy, just a different font.
Where does the look of disapproval ಠ_ಠ come from?
The eyes in ಠ_ಠ are ಠ, U+0CA0, the letter ṭha in the Kannada script. Kannada is the main language of Karnataka, a state in South India. Online, people picked the letter for its wide, staring look, and the face became known as the look of disapproval. It means "I saw that, and I am not impressed."
The quickest is :( or :-( in Western style. For an upright face, type (._.) or (T_T). Both use keys every keyboard has.
What does ಠ_ಠ mean?
It is the look of disapproval. People use it when someone says or does something silly and they want to show they are not amused. The eyes are a letter from the Kannada script.
Why does the sad Lenny mouth look wrong on my phone?
The frown is a combining mark, U+032F, that has to sit under ʖ. Some fonts place it too low or to the side. Try a different app, or pick a sad face without combining marks, like (◞‸◟).
Is there a sad face I can send to cheer someone up?
Try (⌣́_⌣̀)\(˘⌣˘ ), where one face pats the sad one on the head. It shows you get how they feel and that you are there.
