raising hands
Unicode: 1F64C
Description
Two hands raised in the air, palms facing forward, with fingers splayed. It depicts an upward-reaching gesture.
Group:
People & Body > hands
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents celebration, success, praise, joy, or enthusiasm. It can also signify 'hands up' in a sense of surrender (less common for this specific emoji) or simply 'yay!'.
Backstory
The 'person raising both hands in celebration' emoji (often just referred to as 'raised hands') was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010. It quickly became a popular way to convey excitement, achievement, and applause in digital communication.
Usage Examples
- Celebrating a win: 'We did it! 🙌'
- Expressing joy: 'So happy for you! 🙌'
- Giving praise: 'Amazing job! 🙌'
- Cheering for something: 'Concert was insane! 🙌'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Commonly used to express triumph, excitement, or a 'put your hands in the air' call to action during celebrations or music.
East Asian culture:
Can be used similarly for joy and success, but also sometimes interpreted as a 'banzai' gesture (a Japanese cheer for long life or triumph) or in a broader sense of excitement.
Religious contexts:
In some Christian contexts, it might be interpreted as hands raised in worship or praise.