Bullseye

It is the top mark on Japan's ◎ ○ △ × scale. Where many countries use ticks and crosses, Japan uses simple shapes: ○ means good or correct, △ so-so or partly, × no or wrong, and ◎, the double circle, means excellent, highly recommended or “definitely yes”. You meet the set in product comparison tables, reviews, school feedback, menus and sign-up sheets for dates.

Japanese horse-racing tips use the same logic: in a newspaper's prediction grid, ◎ marks the tipster's top pick and ○ the strongest rival.

In Korean and Chinese-language notices, ◎ more often sits at the start of a line as a bullet, introducing an item such as the date or place of an event. It came into Unicode from these East Asian character sets, which is why so many keyboards there offer it.

What does it mean when someone sends me ◎?

From a Japanese speaker, usually “perfect” or “that works great”. A lone ◎ in reply to a plan or a proposed time is an enthusiastic yes, warmer than ○.

From anyone else it is more likely a target or bullseye shape: aiming at something, hitting the centre, or simply decoration. It is a plain text symbol drawn by your font, not the 🎯 emoji, so it never looks colourful.