A monkey covering its eyes represents “see no evil,” one third of the famous Three Wise Monkeys proverb. The full set includes three monkeys: one covering its eyes, one covering its ears, and one covering its mouth. Together they symbolize the principle of not dwelling on evil thoughts, though the meaning has shifted over centuries and across cultures.
The Three Wise Monkeys
The monkey with covered eyes is called Mizaru in Japanese. The name is a wordplay: “mizaru” means “not seeing,” while “saru” is the Japanese word for monkey. The other two are Kikazaru (not hearing) and Iwazaru (not speaking). Together, the trio expresses the saying “see not, hear not, speak not,” which in English became the more familiar “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”
The most iconic depiction is a small wood carving at Nikkō Tōshōgū, a shrine in Japan dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo shogunate. But the philosophy behind it is much older. It likely arrived in Japan from China during the 8th century through a Tendai Buddhist legend. In Buddhist tradition, the teaching is about not dwelling on evil thoughts rather than simply ignoring wrongdoing.
Roots in Confucius
A closely related idea appears in the Analects of Confucius, dating to roughly the 2nd to 4th century B.C. The passage reads: “Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety.” Confucius actually listed four rules, not three, but the first three map neatly onto the three monkeys. The original emphasis was on self-discipline: actively choosing not to engage with improper behavior, rather than pretending it doesn’t exist.
Eastern vs. Western Interpretations
In its original Eastern context, the proverb is aspirational. It encourages moral discipline, the idea that you should guard your senses and avoid focusing on negativity or evil. It’s about what you choose to take in and put out into the world.
In Western culture, the meaning has drifted. “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” is frequently interpreted as willful ignorance, a refusal to acknowledge problems. Calling someone a “see no evil” type usually implies they’re turning a blind eye to something they should confront. This is essentially the opposite of the original intent, which was about personal moral cultivation rather than denial.
The Emoji in Modern Texting
If you came across the monkey covering its eyes as an emoji (🙈), it has taken on a life well beyond its philosophical origins. Added to Unicode in 2010, it’s one of three monkey face emojis that mirror the classic trio.
In everyday texting and social media, people rarely use it to mean “see no evil” in any literal sense. Instead, it’s a playful way to express embarrassment, disbelief, or secondhand cringe. Common uses include “I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” “I can’t bear to look,” or a lighthearted reaction to something awkward or flattering. It often functions like a digital blush, softening a message or adding a self-deprecating tone. Someone might pair it with a compliment they’re shy about giving, or drop it after sharing something mildly embarrassing about themselves.
The other two monkey emojis (🙉 for hear no evil and 🙊 for speak no evil) are used less frequently. The see-no-evil monkey dominates because covering your eyes translates so naturally into “I can’t look” or “this is too much,” emotions that come up constantly in casual conversation.
Other Places You’ll See It
Beyond the emoji and the Nikkō shrine carving, the three monkeys appear on everything from tattoos to office desk figurines to protest art. In tattoo culture, the image often represents personal codes of conduct: minding your own business, staying out of drama, or keeping secrets. In political commentary, the monkeys are frequently used satirically to criticize leaders or institutions for ignoring obvious problems.
The meaning someone attaches to the monkey with covered eyes depends heavily on context. A Buddhist might see a reminder to guard against negativity. A texter might mean “omg I’m so embarrassed.” A political cartoonist might be accusing someone of looking the other way. The image is flexible enough to carry all of these readings, which is exactly why it has endured for over a thousand years.