Alarmed Face

The Σ(°△°|||) kaomoji, often called the alarmed face, perfectly captures a feeling of sudden shock, panic, or overwhelming dread in text messages and online chats. Unlike standard surprised emojis, this text-based emoticon uses the Greek letter sigma (Σ) to represent a sudden flinch, wide degree-symbol eyes (°) and an agape mouth (△) to show a gasp, and vertical lines (|||) to mimic the classic anime trope of a cold sweat or shadow of despair dropping over a character's face. It is the ideal reaction for when you remember a missed deadline, make a huge mistake, or receive unexpectedly terrifying news.