How can I use unicode characters in phrases?

Every time when I save a phrase with an unicode smiley and I view it the next time the special unicode character is gone.
So (how) can I insert unicode characters into phrases?

 

Have you tried to paste it in?

☺

 

I did that. After viewing the phrase in the ACP again the character is gone.

 

Okay ☺ probably works, but try it with other characters. E.g. this key.

I cannot even add it in to this post:

Code:

right>>><<<left

 

https://xenforo.com/community/threads/true-utf-8-support-mysql-utf8mb4.90122/

 

Emojis are 4 byte unicode characters, which require utf8mb4 encoding to be stored in MySQL. XenForo only uses the regular utf8 encoding by default.