Expand Dong

1999reaction imageclassic

Also known as: ED · EXPAND DONG · Expand Dong Meme · Expand Dong

Expand Dong is a Photoshop meme built around a cropped image of Donkey Kong's face paired with the words "Expand" and "Dong" cut from the Donkey Kong 64 box art. It first appeared on 4chan's /v/ board in late 2012 and blew up on Tumblr throughout 20131. The format inspired a wave of similar edits using other video game characters and box art, where letters are rearranged to spell out crude or absurd phrases3.

4chan memesdonkey konggamingimage macro memesnintendo memes

Overview

The core of the meme is simple: take a close-up of Donkey Kong's face from the Donkey Kong 64 packaging and slap a caption below it made from letters cut out of that same box art. The words "Expand" and "Dong" are isolated and recombined to create the suggestive phrase. The result looks like a ransom note made from a Nintendo game cover. The visual style draws loose comparison to Tony Kornheiser's "Why" reaction face, with the character staring directly at the viewer alongside a provocative caption3.

As the meme grew, creators applied the same technique to other video game box arts. Characters like Luigi and Dixie Kong got the treatment, with their packaging text rearranged into similarly crude messages3. The format also expanded beyond Nintendo characters entirely, with people cutting and pasting letters from any source material to build absurd phrases2.

The earliest known version appeared on October 8, 2012, in a thread on 4chan's /v/ (Video Games) board3. An anonymous user posted a digitally edited version of the Donkey Kong 64 box art from the 1999 Nintendo 64 platformer4. The edit isolated Donkey Kong's face and rearranged text from the cover to read "Expand Dong." Donkey Kong 64, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo, was already a well-known title with a history of ironic appreciation online, partly thanks to the infamous "DK Rap" featured in its introduction4.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter
Creator
Internet Culture
Date
2015

The earliest known version appeared on October 8, 2012, in a thread on 4chan's /v/ (Video Games) board3. An anonymous user posted a digitally edited version of the Donkey Kong 64 box art from the 1999 Nintendo 64 platformer4. The edit isolated Donkey Kong's face and rearranged text from the cover to read "Expand Dong." Donkey Kong 64, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo, was already a well-known title with a history of ironic appreciation online, partly thanks to the infamous "DK Rap" featured in its introduction4.

How It Spread

The meme stayed mostly within 4chan until early 2013. On March 14, 2013, Tumblr user heatcrashemboar posted the original "expand dong" image, bringing it to a new audience3. A month later, on April 21, the same image showed up in a comment on Funnyjunk3.

Tumblr became the meme's real home. On June 12, 2013, user goubatsu posted a two-panel image macro featuring Donkey Kong with the caption "No / This does not expand dong"3. That same month, the tag started picking up steam, with users like the blogger behind "This Pleases Tormod" reacting to the flood of expand dong content in the tag5.

On June 27, YouTuber Dexter Dee uploaded a video titled "Expand Dong" featuring a clip of Donkey Kong singing from the French computer-animated Donkey Kong Country TV show3.

The format really took off in late July 2013. On July 22 and 23, Tumblr user foalonthehill posted two new box art edits featuring Dixie Kong and Luigi in the same cut-and-paste style. Both posts pulled in over 1,400 notes within their first five months3. On July 30, the Tumblr blog "Tumbl Trends" featured several notable expand dong examples, pushing the meme further into the mainstream Tumblr ecosystem3.

By October, the meme had spread to gaming forums. On October 1, 2013, IGN Forums user pizzachu1 posted a thread titled "Expand Dong" containing the original Donkey Kong image3.

Platforms

RedditTwitterTikTokInstagramYouTube

Timeline

2015-01-01

Expand Dong begins gaining traction

2016-01-01

Expand Dong started spreading across social media platforms

2017-01-01

Expand Dong reached mainstream popularity and media coverage

2018-01-01

Brands and companies started using Expand Dong in marketing

2020-01-01

Expand Dong entered the broader pop culture conversation

2025-01-01

Expand Dong is still actively used and shared across platforms

View on Google Trends

How to Use This Meme

The classic method:

1

Find a video game box art or any image with visible text.

2

Crop the character's face into a close-up, ideally with a staring or suggestive expression.

3

Cut out individual letters or words from the source image's text.

4

Rearrange those letters to spell something crude, absurd, or nonsensical.

5

Place the rearranged text below the character's face.

Create Your Own

Cultural Impact

Expand Dong represented the continuation of immature humor traditions in meme culture.

Fun Facts

Donkey Kong 64 required the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak accessory to run, making the word "Expand" appear prominently on its packaging. This is likely why the box art was such easy material for the edit4.

The "DK Rap" from Donkey Kong 64 was already considered one of the worst songs in gaming history before the meme existed, giving DK a pre-built reputation for ironic internet fame4.

The meme's name works as a triple entendre: it references the Expansion Pak, Donkey Kong's name, and a crude joke all at once.

Urban Dictionary entries for Expand Dong include a completely earnest definition comparing it to America's Manifest Destiny2.

The French animated Donkey Kong Country TV show, which most people had never heard of, got unexpected attention thanks to the meme's spread on YouTube3.

Derivatives & Variations

"This does not expand dong"

— A two-panel reaction format where Donkey Kong expresses disapproval, posted by Tumblr user goubatsu[3].

Dixie Kong and Luigi edits

— Early spinoffs applying the same letter-rearrangement technique to other Nintendo characters' box arts[3].

Non-gaming expand dong

— Later variations moved beyond video games entirely, using movie posters, book covers, and product packaging as source material for letter cutting[2].

Urban Dictionary reinterpretation

— The phrase "expand dong" picked up a secondary, motivational meaning online, used to describe overcoming challenges or growing through difficulty[2].

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand Dong

1999reaction imageclassic

Also known as: ED · EXPAND DONG · Expand Dong Meme · Expand Dong

Expand Dong is a Photoshop meme built around a cropped image of Donkey Kong's face paired with the words "Expand" and "Dong" cut from the Donkey Kong 64 box art. It first appeared on 4chan's /v/ board in late 2012 and blew up on Tumblr throughout 20131. The format inspired a wave of similar edits using other video game characters and box art, where letters are rearranged to spell out crude or absurd phrases3.

4chan memes donkey kong gaming image macro memes nintendo memes

Overview

The core of the meme is simple: take a close-up of Donkey Kong's face from the Donkey Kong 64 packaging and slap a caption below it made from letters cut out of that same box art. The words "Expand" and "Dong" are isolated and recombined to create the suggestive phrase. The result looks like a ransom note made from a Nintendo game cover. The visual style draws loose comparison to Tony Kornheiser's "Why" reaction face, with the character staring directly at the viewer alongside a provocative caption3.

As the meme grew, creators applied the same technique to other video game box arts. Characters like Luigi and Dixie Kong got the treatment, with their packaging text rearranged into similarly crude messages3. The format also expanded beyond Nintendo characters entirely, with people cutting and pasting letters from any source material to build absurd phrases2.

The earliest known version appeared on October 8, 2012, in a thread on 4chan's /v/ (Video Games) board3. An anonymous user posted a digitally edited version of the Donkey Kong 64 box art from the 1999 Nintendo 64 platformer4. The edit isolated Donkey Kong's face and rearranged text from the cover to read "Expand Dong." Donkey Kong 64, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo, was already a well-known title with a history of ironic appreciation online, partly thanks to the infamous "DK Rap" featured in its introduction4.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter
Creator
Internet Culture
Date
2015

The earliest known version appeared on October 8, 2012, in a thread on 4chan's /v/ (Video Games) board3. An anonymous user posted a digitally edited version of the Donkey Kong 64 box art from the 1999 Nintendo 64 platformer4. The edit isolated Donkey Kong's face and rearranged text from the cover to read "Expand Dong." Donkey Kong 64, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo, was already a well-known title with a history of ironic appreciation online, partly thanks to the infamous "DK Rap" featured in its introduction4.

How It Spread

The meme stayed mostly within 4chan until early 2013. On March 14, 2013, Tumblr user heatcrashemboar posted the original "expand dong" image, bringing it to a new audience3. A month later, on April 21, the same image showed up in a comment on Funnyjunk3.

Tumblr became the meme's real home. On June 12, 2013, user goubatsu posted a two-panel image macro featuring Donkey Kong with the caption "No / This does not expand dong"3. That same month, the tag started picking up steam, with users like the blogger behind "This Pleases Tormod" reacting to the flood of expand dong content in the tag5.

On June 27, YouTuber Dexter Dee uploaded a video titled "Expand Dong" featuring a clip of Donkey Kong singing from the French computer-animated Donkey Kong Country TV show3.

The format really took off in late July 2013. On July 22 and 23, Tumblr user foalonthehill posted two new box art edits featuring Dixie Kong and Luigi in the same cut-and-paste style. Both posts pulled in over 1,400 notes within their first five months3. On July 30, the Tumblr blog "Tumbl Trends" featured several notable expand dong examples, pushing the meme further into the mainstream Tumblr ecosystem3.

By October, the meme had spread to gaming forums. On October 1, 2013, IGN Forums user pizzachu1 posted a thread titled "Expand Dong" containing the original Donkey Kong image3.

Platforms

RedditTwitterTikTokInstagramYouTube

Timeline

2015-01-01

Expand Dong begins gaining traction

2016-01-01

Expand Dong started spreading across social media platforms

2017-01-01

Expand Dong reached mainstream popularity and media coverage

2018-01-01

Brands and companies started using Expand Dong in marketing

2020-01-01

Expand Dong entered the broader pop culture conversation

2025-01-01

Expand Dong is still actively used and shared across platforms

View on Google Trends

How to Use This Meme

The classic method:

1

Find a video game box art or any image with visible text.

2

Crop the character's face into a close-up, ideally with a staring or suggestive expression.

3

Cut out individual letters or words from the source image's text.

4

Rearrange those letters to spell something crude, absurd, or nonsensical.

5

Place the rearranged text below the character's face.

Create Your Own

Cultural Impact

Expand Dong represented the continuation of immature humor traditions in meme culture.

Fun Facts

Donkey Kong 64 required the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak accessory to run, making the word "Expand" appear prominently on its packaging. This is likely why the box art was such easy material for the edit4.

The "DK Rap" from Donkey Kong 64 was already considered one of the worst songs in gaming history before the meme existed, giving DK a pre-built reputation for ironic internet fame4.

The meme's name works as a triple entendre: it references the Expansion Pak, Donkey Kong's name, and a crude joke all at once.

Urban Dictionary entries for Expand Dong include a completely earnest definition comparing it to America's Manifest Destiny2.

The French animated Donkey Kong Country TV show, which most people had never heard of, got unexpected attention thanks to the meme's spread on YouTube3.

Derivatives & Variations

"This does not expand dong"

— A two-panel reaction format where Donkey Kong expresses disapproval, posted by Tumblr user goubatsu[3].

Dixie Kong and Luigi edits

— Early spinoffs applying the same letter-rearrangement technique to other Nintendo characters' box arts[3].

Non-gaming expand dong

— Later variations moved beyond video games entirely, using movie posters, book covers, and product packaging as source material for letter cutting[2].

Urban Dictionary reinterpretation

— The phrase "expand dong" picked up a secondary, motivational meaning online, used to describe overcoming challenges or growing through difficulty[2].

Frequently Asked Questions