MonkaW Meaning & Origin Explained - Twitch Emote Guide

What Does MonkaW Mean?

MonkaW is an emote that is used on Twitch during intense or stressful situations. It means that something tense is happening on the stream. This could be either a boss fight or the streamer has said something controversial. MonkaW can also be used ironically by viewers to express that they're concerned or worried about something the streamer is about to say or do.

The monkaW emote is originally based on the monkaS emote except that it is zoomed in. The character of monkaW is Pepe the frog. This emote was originally popular on the 4chan bulletin boards before making its way to Twitch chat.

Origin of MonkaW on Twitch

To understand the origin of MonkaW you need to learn the history of monkaS. MonkaS is an emote of Pepe the frog sweating profusely and is used during stressful or anxiety-inducing moments. MonkaS initially popped up on 4chan threads in 2011. But it really began to start getting traction when a Twitch user called "MonkaSenpai" added it to the Better Twitch TV twitch extension in 2016. Sometime around February 2017, it became extremely popular when it began to be used on Forsen's channel (Forsen is a popular Swedish Twitch streamer).

MonkaW is a zoomed in version of monkaS. MonkaS was modified and a zoomed in version of it became what we know as MonkaW. The monkaW emote was added to Better Twitch TV (BTTV) in 2018 and also the FrankerFaceZ's twitch extension.

How Do You Pronounce MonkaW?

The proper way to pronounce monkaW is mon-kuh W. The W is pronounced separately from Monka.

How To Use MonkaW on Twitch

The monkaW emote is not available on the Twitch platform as it's not a global Twitch emote. With this said - it's one of the more popular emotes used on Twitch. How is this possible? To use the MonkaW emote you'll need to download and set up the FrankerFaceZ extension. This setup is easy to do and will only take you a few minutes. Here are the steps...

1. Head over to FrankerFaceZ.com and download the extension. The extension is only 36kb and downloads quickly.
2. Once you've downloaded the extension for your internet browser, make sure you are on the FrankerFaceZ home page and click the button that says "Connect with Twitch."
3. Next, it'll have you link FrankerFaceZ with your Twitch account. As soon as this is done you'll have access to the settings.
4. Go in and configure the settings to choose emotes (monkaW) that you'd like displayed on your Twitch channel or to be used in others.

Similarly, you can use BTTV (Better Twitch TV) which is an extension that allows you to use and see emotes that aren't available on Twitch. Download it at BetterTTV.com and walk through the same process as above to start using the MonkaW emote right away.

It is important to note that both of these extensions will only allow you to post the monkaW emote in Twitch channels that have BTTV or the FrankerFaceZ installed and configured. The streamer and the viewer must have the extension installed for the emotes to be shown correctly.  Otherwise, all you will see is the text "monkaW".

Who is Pepe the Frog?

MonkaW is a zoomed in version of Pepe the Frog, but who is Pepe?  Pepe the frog is a green frog that originated from a comic called Boy's Club by Matt Furie. In 2008, Pepe became an internet meme that skyrocketed in popularity on 4chan, Myspace, and Tumblr. Pepe memes show him feeling good, sad, anxious, and other emotions.

While Pepe the Frog was initially a character with no political agenda, he was taken by the alt-right movement and turned into a hate symbol. They depicted Pepe with Nazi, white power, and KKK themes.

Matt Furie was saddened by this and asked for organizations to not use him as their symbol. Furie even sued various organizations for using the character that he created.

While Pepe the Frog continues to be one of the most popular emotes on Twitch, Reddit, and other platforms he has seen some diminished use since his appropriation from the alt-right.

Other Questions You've Had About MonkaW

What does the W mean in monkaW?

The W in monkaW means that the emote is a zoomed in emote of an original. Other popular emotes like KEKW or LULW are both emotes that are zoomed-in versions of originals. Anytime you see a W on the end of an emote name, you can be fairly certain that it's a zoomed in rendition of another emote.

Why Can’t You See MonkaW on Twitch?

MonkaW is not a global Twitch emote. Twitch global emotes are emotes that every single viewer has access to and can use. Twitch is very particular in what emotes they use as global emotes, and MonkaW is not one of them. My assumption is that Twitch will never make any Pepe the Frog based emotes a global emote due to the controversy surrounding Pepe.

The only way to see monkaW on Twitch is by using BTTV or the FrankerFaceZ twitch extension. If you have either of these extensions installed on your browser, make sure to configure them correctly so that you can see monkaW, monkaS, or any other monka-related  emote.

Where did MonkaS get the name from?

MonkaW originated from the monkaS emote. The name monkaS came from a Twitch user called Monkasen (later going by MonkaSenpai) when he uploaded the sweaty Pepe emote to Better Twitch TV extension on March 16, 2016. While some think the "S" comes from Monka Senpai - it actually means scared which is how the MonkaS emote depicts Pepe.

Am I allowed to use MonkaW as my channel's personal emote?

You are not allowed to use MonkaW or MonkaS as a personal Twitch emote on your channel. This is an incredibly popular emote that can only be used with BTTV or FrankerFaceZ's twitch extension. Twitch is very familiar with this emote, and it goes against their rules for subscriber Twitch emotes. While you could try to get it approved, you will be denied.

Instead, what many Twitch streamers do is use the facial expression of monkaW or monkaS and create their own rendition of it. They might take a photo of themselves with the facial expression or hire a graphic artist to create a version of monkaW that fits the branding of their own channel.

Are there different interpretations of the MonkaW meaning?

MonkaW is used as a way to express that things are stressful, tense, or worrisome. The only time it might be used in a way that can be interpreted differently is if a viewer uses it sarcastically in an  ironic manner. Perhaps a streamer is talking about how they've got an upcoming school test that they're feeling confident at passing. A viewer might post the monkaW emote ironically to suggest that the streamer should be worried about the pending test.

You're a MonkaW Expert Now!

I hope this article answered any questions you might have about the MonkaW meaning. Next time you see a streamer get scared or tense up in an intense situation, you'll know why the MonkaW emote is being spammed in chat.

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