vulcan salute
Unicode: 1F596
Description
An emoji depicting an upward-pointing hand with thumb, index finger, and pinky finger extended, while the middle and ring fingers are curled down. Often referred to as the 'I Love You' hand sign.
Group:
People & Body > hand-fingers-open
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Represents love, approval, agreement, or a friendly greeting. It's specifically the 'I Love You' sign from American Sign Language (ASL).
Backstory
This emoji was approved as part of Unicode 8.0 in 2015 and added to Emoji 1.0. It directly represents the 'I Love You' sign from American Sign Language (ASL), which combines the letters 'I', 'L', and 'Y' from ASL fingerspelling.
Usage Examples
- Expressing love: 'Love you, Mom! 🤟'
- Showing approval: 'That's a great idea! 🤟'
- Friendly greeting: 'Hey everyone! 🤟'
- Signing off a message: 'Talk soon, 🤟'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Widely recognized as the 'I Love You' hand sign, originating from ASL. Used to express affection and agreement.
Buddhism/Hinduism:
While visually similar to certain mudras (hand gestures), its primary meaning in digital communication is 'I Love You' rather than specific spiritual connotations.
Rock and Roll Culture:
Distinct from the 'sign of the horns' (which typically has only the index and pinky extended, with thumb often tucked), though sometimes confused.