XX

What Does XX Mean in a Text?

image for XX, showing lips in speech bubble

XX means "two kisses." Just like the letter X is used at the end of messages to represent a kiss, XX is used to signify two kisses. It can be typed in either uppercase (XX) or lowercase (xx) without significantly altering its meaning. However, uppercase may sometimes be used to provide emphasis (i.e., to signify a big kiss).

You should not necessarily consider XX as a sign of strong affection, but it might be! For example:

Lee: Why did you send Sam XX at the end of your message?
Ali: I was just being friendly.
Lee: That's what one X is for!

Sam: Ali sent me two XXs at the end of the last message!
Cal: You know that Ali and Lee are a couple, right? Ali was just being friendly.
Sam: Maybe... so why not just one X?

Here is a table showing the possible meanings of Xs at the end of a message:

Number of Xs	Meaning
No X	(1) If the message is business-like and not among friends, then no X is appropriate. (2) If the sender normally sends an X, then the recipient may be annoyed. (3) If messaging is back and forth, then Xs are often dropped until the last message.
One X	A friendly tone or a light kiss. If a kiss seems inappropriate, then the X probably just signifies a friendly tone. This unclear distinction does allow a single X to be used for flirting, as it provides the sender with plausible deniability. ("I was just being friendly.")
Two Xs	With XX, the sender's intent was to send kisses. What those kisses mean is still open to interpretation!
Three or more Xs	If you've been sent three or more Xs, they are almost definitely meant as a sign of affection.

What about XXXX?

XXXX is even more complicated than X, XX or XXX. Here is a short video explaining its six different meanings!

Image for XX

When I write XX, I mean this:

XX = two kisses

Summary of Key Points

"Kisses" is the most common definition for XX on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

XX
Definition:	Kisses
Type:	Icon
Guessability:	1: Easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at XX

XX represents multiple kisses, but how did X come to represent one kiss? Well, one theory is that back in the Middle Ages, a lot of people were illiterate and could only manage to write an X, which also represented the Christian cross. As a result, many people signed letters and sealed envelopes with an X, which they then kissed as a sign of faith and honesty.

It is also believed that an X represents the symbol for Christ, deriving from ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (the Greek word for Christ).

If the X represents a cross, it would be classified as a symbol, rather than a letter. However, if it represents the name of Jesus Christ, it would be a letter, in which case it would be an initialism abbreviation.

Example of XX Used in a Text

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