diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index adb5113b..a85f0a6c 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ name = "comrak"
 version = "0.15.0"
 dependencies = [
  "clap",
+ "emojis",
  "entities",
  "memchr",
  "once_cell",
@@ -199,6 +200,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "crypto-common",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "emojis"
+version = "0.5.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "44fe60b864b6544ad211d4053ced474a9b9d2c8d66b77f01d6c6bcfed10c6bf0"
+dependencies = [
+ "phf",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "entities"
 version = "1.0.1"
@@ -480,6 +490,24 @@ dependencies = [
  "sha1",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "phf"
+version = "0.11.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "928c6535de93548188ef63bb7c4036bd415cd8f36ad25af44b9789b2ee72a48c"
+dependencies = [
+ "phf_shared",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "phf_shared"
+version = "0.11.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e1fb5f6f826b772a8d4c0394209441e7d37cbbb967ae9c7e0e8134365c9ee676"
+dependencies = [
+ "siphasher",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pkg-config"
 version = "0.3.19"
@@ -822,6 +850,12 @@ version = "1.0.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b6fa3938c99da4914afedd13bf3d79bcb6c277d1b2c398d23257a304d9e1b074"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "siphasher"
+version = "0.3.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7bd3e3206899af3f8b12af284fafc038cc1dc2b41d1b89dd17297221c5d225de"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "strsim"
 version = "0.10.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 1d4a6073..8ad772d3 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ memchr = "2"
 pest = "2"
 pest_derive = "2"
 shell-words = { version = "1.0", optional = true }
+emojis = { version = "0.5.2", optional = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 timebomb = "0.1.2"
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ propfuzz = "0.0.1"
 [features]
 default = ["cli", "syntect"]
 cli = ["clap", "shell-words", "xdg"]
+shortcodes = ["emojis"]
 
 [target.'cfg(all(not(windows), not(target_arch="wasm32")))'.dependencies]
 xdg = { version = "^2.1", optional = true }
diff --git a/src/cm.rs b/src/cm.rs
index 4134d1ea..837b83da 100644
--- a/src/cm.rs
+++ b/src/cm.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ use nodes::{
     AstNode, ListDelimType, ListType, NodeCodeBlock, NodeHeading, NodeHtmlBlock, NodeLink,
     NodeValue,
 };
+#[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+use parser::shortcodes::NodeShortCode;
 use parser::ComrakOptions;
 use scanners;
 use std;
@@ -335,6 +337,8 @@ impl<'a, 'o> CommonMarkFormatter<'a, 'o> {
             NodeValue::Superscript => self.format_superscript(),
             NodeValue::Link(ref nl) => return self.format_link(node, nl, entering),
             NodeValue::Image(ref nl) => self.format_image(nl, allow_wrap, entering),
+            #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+            NodeValue::ShortCode(ref ne) => self.format_shortcode(ne, entering),
             NodeValue::Table(..) => self.format_table(entering),
             NodeValue::TableRow(..) => self.format_table_row(entering),
             NodeValue::TableCell => self.format_table_cell(node, entering),
@@ -655,6 +659,18 @@ impl<'a, 'o> CommonMarkFormatter<'a, 'o> {
         }
     }
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+    fn format_shortcode(&mut self, ne: &NodeShortCode, entering: bool) {
+        if entering {
+            write!(self, ":").unwrap();
+        } else {
+            if let Some(shortcode) = ne.shortcode() {
+                self.output(shortcode.as_bytes(), false, Escaping::Literal);
+            }
+            write!(self, ":").unwrap();
+        }
+    }
+
     fn format_table(&mut self, entering: bool) {
         if entering {
             self.custom_escape = Some(table_escape);
diff --git a/src/html.rs b/src/html.rs
index 4d2e84f7..5fd0e7a7 100644
--- a/src/html.rs
+++ b/src/html.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ use std::io::{self, Write};
 use std::str;
 use strings::build_opening_tag;
 
+#[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+extern crate emojis;
+
 /// Formats an AST as HTML, modified by the given options.
 pub fn format_document<'a>(
     root: &'a AstNode<'a>,
@@ -692,6 +695,16 @@ impl<'o> HtmlFormatter<'o> {
                     self.output.write_all(b"\" />")?;
                 }
             }
+            #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+            NodeValue::ShortCode(ref emoji) => {
+                if entering {
+                    if self.options.extension.shortcodes {
+                        if let Some(emoji) = emoji.emoji() {
+                            self.output.write_all(emoji.as_bytes())?;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
             NodeValue::Table(..) => {
                 if entering {
                     self.cr()?;
diff --git a/src/lexer.pest b/src/lexer.pest
index 7f6cd3f6..f378b297 100644
--- a/src/lexer.pest
+++ b/src/lexer.pest
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ scheme_rule = { scheme ~ ":" }
 autolink_uri = { scheme ~ ":" ~ (!('\x00'..'\x20' | "<" | ">") ~ ANY)* ~ ">" }
 autolink_email = { ('a'..'z' | 'A'..'Z' | '0'..'9' | "." | "!" | "#" | "$" | "%" | "&" | "'" | "*" | "+" | "/" | "=" | "?" | "^" | "_" | "`" | "{" | "|" | "}" | "~" | "-")+ ~ "@" ~ ('a'..'z' | 'A'..'Z' | '0'..'9') ~ (('a'..'z' | 'A'..'Z' | '0'..'9' | "-"){0,61} ~ ('a'..'z' | 'A'..'Z' | '0'..'9')?)? ~ ("." ~ (('a'..'z' | 'A'..'Z' | '0'..'9' | "-"){0,61} ~ ('a'..'z' | 'A'..'Z' | '0'..'9')?)?)* ~ ">" }
 
+shortcode_rule = { ":" ~ ('A'..'Z' | 'a'..'z' | "-" | "_")+ ~ ":" }
+
 spacechars = { space_char+ }
 
 escaped_char = _{ "\\" ~ ANY }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 984b9b23..172d7c25 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ struct Cli {
     #[arg(long = "unsafe")]
     unsafe_: bool,
 
+    /// Translate gemojis into UTF8 characters
+    #[arg(long)]
+    gemojis: bool,
+
     /// Escape raw HTML instead of clobbering it
     #[arg(long)]
     escape: bool,
@@ -203,6 +207,8 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
             footnotes: exts.contains(&Extension::Footnotes),
             description_lists: exts.contains(&Extension::DescriptionLists),
             front_matter_delimiter: cli.front_matter_delimiter,
+            #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+            shortcodes: cli.gemojis,
         },
         parse: ComrakParseOptions {
             smart: cli.smart,
diff --git a/src/nodes.rs b/src/nodes.rs
index c5e4bd9c..4ea3bd15 100644
--- a/src/nodes.rs
+++ b/src/nodes.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 use arena_tree::Node;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 
+#[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+use parser::shortcodes::NodeShortCode;
+
 /// The core AST node enum.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub enum NodeValue {
@@ -146,6 +149,10 @@ pub enum NodeValue {
 
     /// **Inline**.  A footnote reference; the `Vec<u8>` is the referent footnote's name.
     FootnoteReference(Vec<u8>),
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+    /// **Inline**. An Emoji character generated from a shortcode. Enable with feature "emoji"
+    ShortCode(NodeShortCode),
 }
 
 /// Alignment of a single table cell.
@@ -449,6 +456,9 @@ pub fn can_contain_type<'a>(node: &'a AstNode<'a>, child: &NodeValue) -> bool {
             NodeValue::DescriptionTerm | NodeValue::DescriptionDetails
         ),
 
+        #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+        NodeValue::ShortCode(..) => !child.block(),
+
         NodeValue::Paragraph
         | NodeValue::Heading(..)
         | NodeValue::Emph
@@ -460,6 +470,20 @@ pub fn can_contain_type<'a>(node: &'a AstNode<'a>, child: &NodeValue) -> bool {
 
         NodeValue::TableRow(..) => matches!(*child, NodeValue::TableCell),
 
+        #[cfg(not(feature = "shortcodes"))]
+        NodeValue::TableCell => matches!(
+            *child,
+            NodeValue::Text(..)
+                | NodeValue::Code(..)
+                | NodeValue::Emph
+                | NodeValue::Strong
+                | NodeValue::Link(..)
+                | NodeValue::Image(..)
+                | NodeValue::Strikethrough
+                | NodeValue::HtmlInline(..)
+        ),
+
+        #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
         NodeValue::TableCell => matches!(
             *child,
             NodeValue::Text(..)
@@ -468,6 +492,7 @@ pub fn can_contain_type<'a>(node: &'a AstNode<'a>, child: &NodeValue) -> bool {
                 | NodeValue::Strong
                 | NodeValue::Link(..)
                 | NodeValue::Image(..)
+                | NodeValue::ShortCode(..)
                 | NodeValue::Strikethrough
                 | NodeValue::HtmlInline(..)
         ),
diff --git a/src/parser/inlines.rs b/src/parser/inlines.rs
index db1ee239..b7d65dd8 100644
--- a/src/parser/inlines.rs
+++ b/src/parser/inlines.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ use arena_tree::Node;
 use ctype::{ispunct, isspace};
 use entity;
 use nodes::{Ast, AstNode, NodeCode, NodeLink, NodeValue};
+#[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+use parser::shortcodes::NodeShortCode;
 use parser::{unwrap_into_2, unwrap_into_copy, AutolinkType, Callback, ComrakOptions, Reference};
 use scanners;
 use std::cell::{Cell, RefCell};
@@ -91,6 +93,10 @@ impl<'a, 'r, 'o, 'd, 'i, 'c, 'subj> Subject<'a, 'r, 'o, 'd, 'i, 'c, 'subj> {
         if options.extension.superscript {
             s.special_chars[b'^' as usize] = true;
         }
+        #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+        if options.extension.shortcodes {
+            s.special_chars[b':' as usize] = true;
+        }
         for &c in &[b'"', b'\'', b'.', b'-'] {
             s.smart_chars[c as usize] = true;
         }
@@ -113,6 +119,8 @@ impl<'a, 'r, 'o, 'd, 'i, 'c, 'subj> Subject<'a, 'r, 'o, 'd, 'i, 'c, 'subj> {
             '\\' => Some(self.handle_backslash()),
             '&' => Some(self.handle_entity()),
             '<' => Some(self.handle_pointy_brace()),
+            #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+            ':' if self.options.extension.shortcodes => Some(self.handle_colons()),
             '*' | '_' | '\'' | '"' => Some(self.handle_delim(c as u8)),
             '-' => Some(self.handle_hyphen()),
             '.' => Some(self.handle_period()),
@@ -849,6 +857,23 @@ impl<'a, 'r, 'o, 'd, 'i, 'c, 'subj> Subject<'a, 'r, 'o, 'd, 'i, 'c, 'subj> {
         }
     }
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+    pub fn handle_colons(&mut self) -> &'a AstNode<'a> {
+        if let Some(matchlen) = scanners::shortcode(&self.input[self.pos..]) {
+            let s = self.pos + 1;
+            let e = s + matchlen - 2;
+            let shortcode = &self.input[s..e];
+
+            if NodeShortCode::is_valid(shortcode.to_vec()) {
+                let inl = make_emoji(self.arena, &shortcode);
+                self.pos += matchlen;
+                return inl;
+            }
+        }
+        self.pos += 1;
+        make_inline(self.arena, NodeValue::Text(b":".to_vec()))
+    }
+
     pub fn handle_pointy_brace(&mut self) -> &'a AstNode<'a> {
         self.pos += 1;
 
@@ -1198,3 +1223,12 @@ fn make_autolink<'a>(
     ));
     inl
 }
+
+#[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+fn make_emoji<'a>(arena: &'a Arena<AstNode<'a>>, shortcode: &[u8]) -> &'a AstNode<'a> {
+    let inl = make_inline(
+        arena,
+        NodeValue::ShortCode(NodeShortCode::from(shortcode.to_vec())),
+    );
+    inl
+}
diff --git a/src/parser/mod.rs b/src/parser/mod.rs
index 57f26fad..e0ded5c6 100644
--- a/src/parser/mod.rs
+++ b/src/parser/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 mod autolink;
 mod inlines;
+#[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+pub mod shortcodes;
 mod table;
 
 use adapters::SyntaxHighlighterAdapter;
@@ -309,6 +311,22 @@ pub struct ComrakExtensionOptions {
     /// assert_eq!(&String::from_utf8(buf).unwrap(), input);
     /// ```
     pub front_matter_delimiter: Option<String>,
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+    /// Available if "shortcodes" feature is enabled.  Phrases wrapped inside of ':' blocks will be
+    /// replaced with emojis.
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// # use comrak::{markdown_to_html, ComrakOptions};
+    /// let mut options = ComrakOptions::default();
+    /// assert_eq!(markdown_to_html("Happy Friday! :smile:", &options),
+    ///            "<p>Happy Friday! :smile:</p>\n");
+    ///
+    /// options.extension.shortcodes = true;
+    /// assert_eq!(markdown_to_html("Happy Friday! :smile:", &options),
+    ///            "<p>Happy Friday! 😄</p>\n");
+    /// ```
+    pub shortcodes: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Default, Debug, Clone)]
diff --git a/src/parser/shortcodes.rs b/src/parser/shortcodes.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..12c7db71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/parser/shortcodes.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+extern crate emojis;
+
+use std::str;
+
+/// The details of an inline emoji
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct NodeShortCode {
+    /// A short code that is translated into an emoji
+    shortcode: Option<String>,
+}
+
+impl NodeShortCode {
+    pub fn is_valid(value: Vec<u8>) -> bool {
+        let code = Self::from(value);
+        code.emoji().is_some()
+    }
+
+    pub fn shortcode(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        self.shortcode.clone()
+    }
+
+    pub fn emoji(&self) -> Option<&'static str> {
+        Some(emojis::get_by_shortcode(self.shortcode()?.as_str())?.as_str())
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> From<Vec<u8>> for NodeShortCode {
+    fn from(value: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
+        let captured = unsafe { str::from_utf8_unchecked(&value) };
+        Self {
+            shortcode: Some(captured.to_string()),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/scanners.rs b/src/scanners.rs
index d5ea0783..e181d6fd 100644
--- a/src/scanners.rs
+++ b/src/scanners.rs
@@ -182,6 +182,12 @@ pub fn link_title(line: &[u8]) -> Option<usize> {
     search(Rule::link_title, line)
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+#[inline(always)]
+pub fn shortcode(line: &[u8]) -> Option<usize> {
+    search(Rule::shortcode_rule, line)
+}
+
 #[inline(always)]
 pub fn table_start(line: &[u8]) -> Option<usize> {
     search(Rule::table_start, line)
diff --git a/src/tests.rs b/src/tests.rs
index 2196bbe1..b1d9022b 100644
--- a/src/tests.rs
+++ b/src/tests.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ fn fuzz_doesnt_crash(md: String) {
             footnotes: true,
             description_lists: true,
             front_matter_delimiter: None,
+            #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+            shortcodes: true,
         },
         parse: ::ComrakParseOptions {
             smart: true,
@@ -237,6 +239,38 @@ fn syntect_plugin() {
     html_plugins(input, expected, &plugins);
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+#[test]
+fn emojis() {
+    // Test match
+    html_opts!(
+        [extension.shortcodes],
+        concat!("Hello, happy days! :smile:\n"),
+        concat!("<p>Hello, happy days! 😄</p>\n"),
+    );
+
+    // Test match
+    html_opts!(
+        [extension.shortcodes],
+        concat!(":smile::smile::smile::smile:\n"),
+        concat!("<p>😄😄😄😄</p>\n"),
+    );
+
+    // Test match
+    html_opts!(
+        [extension.shortcodes],
+        concat!(":smile:::smile:::smile:::smile:\n"),
+        concat!("<p>😄:😄:😄:😄</p>\n"),
+    );
+
+    // Test no match
+    html_opts!(
+        [extension.shortcodes],
+        concat!("Hello, happy days! :diego:\n"),
+        concat!("<p>Hello, happy days! :diego:</p>\n"),
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn lists() {
     html(
@@ -1325,6 +1359,8 @@ fn exercise_full_api<'a>() {
             footnotes: false,
             description_lists: false,
             front_matter_delimiter: None,
+            #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+            shortcodes: true,
         },
         parse: ::ComrakParseOptions {
             smart: false,
@@ -1447,6 +1483,10 @@ fn exercise_full_api<'a>() {
             let _: Vec<u8> = nl.url;
             let _: Vec<u8> = nl.title;
         }
+        #[cfg(feature = "shortcodes")]
+        ::nodes::NodeValue::ShortCode(ne) => {
+            let _: Option<String> = ne.shortcode();
+        }
         ::nodes::NodeValue::FootnoteReference(name) => {
             let _: &Vec<u8> = name;
         }