rightwards pushing hand: light skin tone
Unicode: 1FAF8 1F3FB
Description
The 'Hand with Index Finger and Thumb Crossed' emoji, also known as the 'Korean heart' or 'finger heart', combined with light skin tone modifier. It depicts a hand gesture where the thumb and index finger are crossed, creating a small heart shape.
Group:
People & Body > hand-fingers-open
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Primarily expresses love, affection, gratitude, and appreciation, particularly within East Asian cultures, but increasingly recognized globally. It conveys a gesture of endearment or thanks.
Backstory
The finger heart gesture gained widespread popularity in South Korea in the mid-2010s, particularly among K-Pop idols and celebrities, as a quick and easy way to show affection to their fans. It quickly spread globally through fan culture. The emoji representation '1FAF8' was added to Unicode 14.0 in 2021, and the skin tone modifier '1F3FB' for light skin tone is a standard addition.
Usage Examples
- Expressing love for someone: 'Thank you for everything! 🫰🏻'
- Showing appreciation for a gift or favor: 'Got your present, love it! 🫰🏻'
- Reacting to K-Pop content: 'My favorite group! 🫰🏻'
- Wishing good luck or sending positive vibes: 'Good luck with your exam! 🫰🏻'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Increasingly recognized due to K-Pop and K-Drama influence, often used to express love or appreciation, but sometimes less universally understood than the classic heart emoji. Some may initially mistake it for a sign for money or 'counting money' due to the finger position if unfamiliar.
East Asian culture:
Extremely popular in South Korea and other East Asian countries as a common way to express love, friendship, and appreciation, especially among idols and fans. It's a quick, informal, and popular gesture.