囧 is an internet meme character repurposed from an ancient Chinese character meaning 'bright.' Its visual resemblance to a face with a downturned mouth and raised eyebrows makes it a popular emoticon to express awkwardness, embarrassment, dismay, or speechlessness—similar to the English 'facepalm' or 'awkward' reaction. In standard Mandarin it is pronounced jiǒng (third tone), but it is often used purely as a pictographic symbol in online chats and social media, not as a conventional noun.