KEKW is a BTTV and FFZ emote that's sent whenever streamers say something funny. You can think of it as another way to say 'LOL'. But you'll need either the FFZ or BTTV extensions to use it: it's not a global Twitch emote (more on this later).
When I first started using Twitch, I was anxious about looking like a newb and using emotes in the wrong context - especially the KEKW emote since it's the most popular way to convey laughter. So, I stay on top of Twitch trends to make sure I'm always in the loop.
What does KEKW mean? I've broken this down in-depth, and also took a look at some additional information, like how to pronounce KEKW, and how KEKW originated.
Sound good?
Contents
If you don't want to say 'lol' or even 'haha', the KEKW emote is a good replacement that you can use. Basically, it's a way to say that you find the stream funny. You'll need either the BTTV or FFZ extensions to use the KEKW emote.
So, what about the KEKW origin? It goes back to a 2007 interview that Spanish actor/comedian Juan Joya Borja (El Risitas) did. During the interview, he laughed while telling a story. The rest was history, as a user pulled a frame of him giggling and made it into the emote we know and love today.
Although the interview aired in 2007, KEKW didn't become an emote until 2019. It was first uploaded to the FrankerFaceZ extension, and now it's on BTTV too.
In addition to being on Twitch, KEKW is on quite a few Discord servers too, where it's also used as a way to represent laughter.
You might be wondering why the name 'KEKW'? There are 2 reasons behind this. First, 'KEK' is the Korean way of saying 'LOL'. And second, because of World of Warcraft - the game intentionally garbles text from opposing factions. So, whenever an alliance player says 'LOL', a horde player sees 'KEK' on their screens.
When it comes to the 'W' at the end, it's just a general Twitch term that's added to emoticons with exaggerated faces.
Last but not least, if you're wondering how is KEKW pronounced, you say 'KEK' like 'cake' but faster, and add a 'W' at the end.
I first have to talk about what global Twitch emotes are: they're emojis that already are pre-installed on Twitch. So, you don't need a third-party extension to use them.
KEKW is unfortunately not a global Twitch emote, even though it's one of the most popular emotes out there. This means that you'll have to either use the FFZ or BTTV extensions to get a hold of it.
Here's how you use BTTV to get a hold of it on a Twitch stream:
Here's how you use FFZ on Twitch chat:
If you can't find the Spanish laughing guy emote on a Twitch channel, this means that the channel owner probably removed it from their chat. At the same time, the emoji might still be there, but you're facing some kind of minor glitch that's caused it to disappear. Try restarting your phone or computer - most of the time, this can help. If that doesn't do the trick, then you'll have to try either updating your OS or the Twitch app.
LULW is a lot like the KEKW emote - you can use it whenever you want to say 'lol'. It's a frame of the streamer, TotalBiscuit, making an exaggerated facial expression. But there's a bit of history to it.
Before there was LULW, there was LUL. It was a Twitch emote of streamer, Total Biscuit laughing at a Major League conference. He took the emoticon and added it to his chat because he liked it so much. However, it ended up getting removed due to DMCA request from the photographer who took the picture.
Since LUL was an integral part of the Total Biscuit community, a Reddit user made a similar emoticon and then added it to the BTTV extension in 2016.
Follow the methods that I ran through about how to use KEKW on FFZ and BTTV if you want to use LULW on a streamer's chat too.
The KEKW emote is one of the most popular emotes out there, especially with meme creators. It's the perfect way to show that you find what's going on in the channel funny.
To use the KEKW emote, you'll need either the BTTV or FFZ extensions. Both of them are completely free, in case you are wondering. Although the emoji is so popular, it's funny how it's still not a global Twitch emote. There's really no news of it becoming one either, so you'll have to keep using BTTV or FFZ.
I think it's a good idea that you looked into what KEKW means - you'll be able to use it in the correct context now, and not look like a newb.
