Soyjak

/SOY-jack/

noun

A Soyjak is an open-mouthed, often bespectacled Wojak caricature used to mock someone as cringe or to show enthusiastic, sometimes self-mocking enjoyment.

#internet memes
#Wojak
#image macros
#internet slang

Meaning

Soyjak names a Wojak-derived internet caricature, commonly drawn with glasses, stubble, a receding hairline, and an open mouth. Traditionally, it mocks someone portrayed as unmasculine, overly emotional, or cringe, often showing them excited about a hobby or upset over a perceived slight. It can also be used ironically or affectionately to celebrate that enthusiasm. The drawing alone does not reveal the poster’s intent: read the caption and surrounding conversation.[1][3]

1. A caricature used to ridicule a person or viewpoint as cringe, overly emotional, or insufficiently masculine.
2. An ironic or affectionate persona for displaying intense enthusiasm, including in pointing memes that celebrate a shared interest.

Black-line drawing of a bald, bespectacled face with stubble, a wide-open mouth and a small patch of teeth. — This drawing shows the open-mouthed, bespectacled Wojak variation commonly called a Soyjak. The image’s use can be mocking or affectionate; its caption and context help indicate the intended tone. Source

Examples

“The caption turns the Soyjak into a joke about getting too worked up over a game.”

“They used a Soyjak to show how excited they were about the new hobby.”

“Two Soyjaks pointing at the same tiny detail made the post feel like affectionate self-mockery.”

Origin and spread

Know Your Meme documents an October 24, 2017, 4chan thread titled “The Nu-Male open mouth,” where posters discussed the expression associated with the Soyjak. It also reports that the Nintendo-themed Soyboy Wojak appeared in September 2017 and describes the character later adopting that open-mouthed expression; the sources do not establish the first Soyjak character post. The Daily Dot likewise dates a possible Soyjak appearance to September 2017, so that is documented context rather than a proven invention date. A 2015 Mashable article describes a faux-surprise selfie pose with a half-open smiling mouth, an earlier visual resemblance, not a Soyjak character. The name combines “soy” and “Wojak,” and the image later also became a way to convey genuine enthusiasm.[1][4]

How to use it

The term can carry a sneering stereotype, so it may insult the person depicted or the people associated with the hobby. In affectionate or self-mocking uses, captions and surrounding conversation usually make that stance clearer than the face alone.

A 4chan-style post headed “The Nu-Male open mouth” shows two cartoon men with glasses and open mouths posing for a selfie; replies and post text appear beside them. — This post illustrates the open-mouth caricature discussed in an October 2017 thread, a context associated with the character’s development. It helps distinguish that discussion from an earlier selfie pose that was not itself a Soyjak. Source

Similar expression, different context

Mashable described a faux-surprise selfie pose in 2015, with wide eyes and a half-open smiling mouth. That provides context for the expression, but it is not the Soyjak character or proof of its origin.[4][1]

Ridicule can become celebration

The Daily Dot describes later uses that reclaim the image as a sign of genuine enthusiasm, especially in versions where Soyjaks point together at something they like. A mocking interpretation is not automatic.[2]

Questions people ask

How can I tell whether a Soyjak is insulting or affectionate?

Look at the caption, the contrast with other characters, and the surrounding conversation. Soyjak has been used both to ridicule someone as cringe and to celebrate enthusiasm, so the face by itself does not settle the tone.[2][3]

How is Soyjak different from Wojak?

Wojak is the broader character and meme family; Soyjak is one of its variations, associated with the open-mouthed “Nu-Male” expression and a particular set of stereotypes.[1][3]

Does the 2015 faux-surprise selfie count as the first Soyjak?

No. Mashable’s article describes a social-media selfie pose with a similar mouth shape. Know Your Meme separately documents a 2017 4chan discussion and a later Soyboy Wojak development.[4][1]

Sources

1. Know Your Meme — Soy Boy Face / SoyjakSupports: meaning, origin.
2. The Daily Dot — Soyjak Meme History, Origins, And SpreadSupports: earliest documented use, form.
3. Know Your Meme — Who Is Soyjack? The Meme And Wojak Character ExplainedSupports: meaning.
4. Mashable — Faux surprise face is the new duckfaceSupports: origin.