How tears are drawn in text
Kaomoji artists borrow letters from many scripts to draw tears. The Kannada letter ಥ looks like an eye with a drop beneath it, while ╥ and 〒 suggest a steady stream. Even plain letters work: T_T is one of the oldest crying faces online, with each T showing a closed eye and a falling tear. Adding ﹏ for a trembling mouth makes the whole face feel more emotional.
Not all tears are sad
Crying kaomoji are often used for exaggeration rather than real sorrow. Fans post (ಥ‿ಥ) when a favourite character finally gets a happy ending, and friends send (Ｔ▽Ｔ) when a joke lands a little too well. Think of them as volume control: the more tears, the bigger the feeling, whatever that feeling happens to be.