What is an emo?

I dont understand what are emo? and how come people say they slit there wrist??

Emo is not just a music type, it can be a fashion sense and feeling.
not all emos slit their wrists, although most do its not sterotypical that they do.
I admit I have done and sometimes do when im down about loads of things.
yeh you may call me a poser or attention seeker but I have reasons and so do a lot of people.
so... emo isnt just a stereotype it can be a way of life and fashion sense.

EMO IS MUSIC. Anyone who says emo is a person is wrong. And anyone who claims to be emo is a poser.

emo just stands for EMOtional. hence why the music artists always talk about feelings and love

emo-emotional. not all emos slit their wrists

Goth+Punk (circa 1980's U.S. punk)+Grunge=Emo

"EMO IS MUSIC. Anyone who says emo is a person is wrong. And anyone who claims to be emo is a poser." -karyuuu

Not necessarily. A person can be "emo." Emo kids, in general, express their feelings much more, have stronger emotions, and (like the Goth kids which this subculture mostly spawned from) tend to be on the sadder side.
Emo is also music, as cheeseygrl explained. There is quite a bit of emo music out there, ranging from the newly popular mainstream artists of My Chemical Romance, The Used and Dashboard Confessional to underground bands (which more "true" emo kids listen to. As it isn't as "scene" as M.C.are. or The Used).
And, as the one above me stated, not all emo people slit their wrists.

emo is emotional its people who express theyre feeling differently than others...

listen not ALL "emo" people cut theirselves. and also yes it is a music genre as said above

Emo stands for emotional. I Dont believe that emos are posers tho. There just people that have strong emotions. Im an emo kid and I'm extraordinarily expressive. O yah and by the way not all emos cut there wrists...those are only the really messed up kinds.

It doesn't matter how you dress. It doesn't matter how you look. All that matters is how you FEEL. If you are emotional and sad. If you are a dreamer and wish for things that give you a heart ache when you think of them because you don't think it is possible for you to get. THAT is emo. THAT is what we're about. NOT dressing black. It is not what we display ourselves as because that can always be a mask, covering up ouselves.