sign of the horns: medium skin tone
Unicode: 1F918 1F3FD
Description
A hand gesture with the index finger and pinky finger extended, often representing the 'rock on' or 'horns' sign, with a medium-dark skin tone.
Group:
People & Body > hand-fingers-partial
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents a gesture of approval, enthusiasm, excitement, or a 'rock and roll' sentiment. Can also be used to signify solidarity or a playful greeting.
Backstory
This emoji was introduced in Unicode 8.0 (2015) as part of a larger set of hand gestures and skin tone modifiers. The 'sign of the horns' has ancient origins, sometimes used to ward off evil, but gained modern popularity in the 20th century as a symbol of rock music culture, often attributed to Ronnie James Dio.
Usage Examples
- Expressing approval: 'That was an epic concert! 🤘🏽'
- Showing excitement: 'Weekend vibes, time to party! 🤘🏽'
- Greeting a friend: 'Hey man! 🤘🏽'
- Celebrating a victory: 'We won the game! 🤘🏽'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Widely recognized as the 'rock on' sign, popularized by musicians and fans. Also used in sports settings for team spirit. In some cultures, particularly in Mediterranean and Latin American countries, it can have negative connotations (e.g., 'cuckold' sign) if pointed downwards, though less common with the emoji.
Mediterranean and Latin American cultures:
Can sometimes carry offensive meanings related to infidelity if used in specific downward gestures, but less so with the upright emoji in informal digital communication.
Sign Language:
In American Sign Language (ASL), a similar or identical handshape (sometimes called 'I love you' sign if the thumb is also extended) is common.