KEKW meaning explained: The origins of the laughter emote
If you’ve tuned into any Twitch or Kick stream, you have definitely seen an emote of a toothless person giggling. In fact, you might see the entire chat being flooded with this single emote if something funny or awkward happens on a stream.
The emote you’re thinking about is “KEKW,” and in this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about it.
What does KEKW mean?
In live streaming culture, the term KEKW refers to a emote which means uncontrollable laughter. It is used when something absurd, embarrassing, ridiculous, or incredibly funny happens like a top Kick casino streamer losing a bet. KEKW has essentially become the alternative to “LOL,” but evokes an even stronger emotional reaction.
KEKW is more commonly spammed instead of being only typed once. You might come across the entire chat spamming “KEKW KEKW KEKW” when everyone is collectively laughing at a moment, usually at the steamer’s expense.
KEKW origins: Where did the meme come from?
The KEKW emote has its own origins – it comes from a viral video of a Spanish man laughing on live television. This viral video features El Risitas, whose real name is Juan Joya Borja.
In the iconic clip, El Risitas was telling a story while laughing uncontrollably, and the way he laughed became one of the most iconic reactions on the internet. Since then, El Risitas’ laughing face was turned into a Twitch emote on third-party extensions such as BetterTTV (BTTV).
Unfortunately, El Risitas passed away in 2021 at the age of 65 due to a long-term illness.
Why the KEKW emote is so popular
Although El Risitas’ iconic laugh was published on the internet over a decade ago, the KEKW only started becoming popular on Twitch in 2019.
The pioneers of the KEKW emote were popular streamers Félix “xQc” Lengyel and Henrik “AdmiralBulldog” Ahnberg, who both started using the emote regularly on their streams.
Thanks to the two, Twitch viewers became more and more aware of the KEKW emote, even reaching the point where it overtook other ways of expressing laughter such as “LUL” and “ROFL.”
Today, KEKW is the universal emote used as a sarcastic way for viewers to laugh at missed skill shots, failed clutches, or funny moments in general. The emote has even transcended Twitch, and is used on YouTube, Discord, and other social media platforms, too.
How to pronounce KEKW
Generally, most people don’t say the term KEKW out loud, as the emote is typically meant to be typed or spammed in chat. However, there are various ways to pronounce the word. The most common one is simply spelling it out as “kek-double-you.” However, others may pronounce it as “kek-wuh” or “kik-uh.”
When to use the KEKW emote
There are multiple ways to use KEKW in a live stream chat, including on Kick, which has become a domineering casino streaming platform. The most common uses include:
- When a streamer makes a huge mistake
- Something cringe or ironic happens on stream
- Someone says a funny joke
- Anything that may seem funny in general
However, it is worth noting that KEKW could also sometimes feel toxic, especially if a streamer is having a serious or emotional moment. Remember that context matters!
Simon Day
Simon has been writing about Gaming and Sports for over a decade, with his work featured in a variety of well-known gaming magazines. In 2025, he joined win.gg as an Editorial Specialist, where he continues to share his passion for the industry through insightful and well-crafted content pieces.
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