face in clouds
Unicode: 1F636 200D 1F32B FE0F
Description
A yellow circular face wearing a medical mask, depicting someone with a neutral expression. The mask covers the mouth and nose.
Group:
Smileys & Emotion > face-neutral-skeptical
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Often conveys feelings related to health, illness, protection, caution, or compliance with health guidelines. Can also imply being unwell, being cautious, or simply following protocols in public spaces.
Backstory
The 'Face with Medical Mask' emoji (1F637) originated from Unicode 6.0 (2010). The sequence '1F636 200D 1F32B FE0F' specifically refers to 'Face Without Mouth' (1F636) combined with 'Foggy' (1F32B) and a variation selector, trying to represent a masked face. However, the more common and direct masked face is 1F637. This specific sequence is less common and might be rendered differently or not at all on some platforms, aiming to show a face with a cloud-like mask, possibly implying being 'foggy' or 'unwell' under a mask.
Usage Examples
- Expressing caution: 'Heading out, staying safe 😷'
- Indicating mild sickness: 'Feeling a bit under the weather 😷'
- Following health protocols: 'Masks required here 😷'
- Metaphorically 'hiding' or being 'foggy': 'My brain is so foggy today 😷'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Primarily associated with illness, infection, doctors, hospitals, and more recently, public health crises like pandemics (e.g., COVID-19). Can also signify being cautious or 'masking' emotions.
East Asian culture:
Commonly used for allergies, protecting oneself from pollution, or preventing the spread of colds/flu. It was a more common sight even before pandemics, making its usage broader than just illness.