I've often seen a symbol that is used in context of smiling or happy
expressions. It is sort of a circle with three lines above it.

Can anyone tell me what it's called and where it comes from?

_Example from_ オトメの帝国

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DDfxj.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DDfxj.png)

Other examples from the same manga:  
[example 1](http://postimg.org/image/nlloozgp7/), [example
2](http://postimg.org/image/er5p26uvl/).

I may be wrong in thinking that it has to do with smiles, but I do think it
has something to do with faces.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-08T16:03:58.427
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manga symbols
Symbol for smiling
Googling it mentioned that Card Capture Sakura's creators Clamp used to use
this ほえええ a lot when one of their cute girls (or other thing) would be
pleasantly surprised or was being especially cute. It was very cute when she
would do it. Brings backs memories. It was fairly popular back then so perhaps
it endured.
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2016-04-08T22:42:08.657
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Just an impression: If your illustrator/author made-up this symbol, it looks
to me like it expresses surprise as in, "Oh!" in context with the character's
emotions. It may be more an expression of feeling than saying, (or having the
character say) "Oh!" in surprise.
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2016-07-21T05:43:48.177
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I don't believe it has a name, but it is basically a representation of a face
+ triple "! rays". Take a look at the top left panel of your example 2 - there
the rays are radiating from an actual face.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-21T08:15:54.353
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The symbol in the words is just like adding some expression like a surprised
or startled expression. (^^)
CC BY-SA 3.0
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