handshake: light skin tone
Unicode: 1F91D 1F3FB
Description
Two hands, one clasped over the other, with a light-skinned modifier applied to the hand on the right. This emoji represents holding hands, unity, or coming together. The specific skin tone indicates a light skin color for the person on the right, while the skin tone of the left hand is implied to be neutral or variable.
Group:
People & Body > hands
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Symbolizes partnership, friendship, affection, support, agreement, or reconciliation.
Backstory
The 'handshake' emoji (🤝) was introduced in Unicode 8.0 (2015). With the introduction of skin tone modifiers in Unicode 8.0 for many human-related emojis, this combination of two hands could also be interpreted as a more general symbol of unity, distinct from a formal handshake, especially when combined in sequences to represent multiple people holding hands. The specific sequence 1F91D 1F3FB is a 'couple with heart' (or two hands together) with a specific skin tone applied to one of the hands, originating from the broader set of diverse coupling emojis.
Usage Examples
- Expressing solidarity: 'We stand together on this issue. 🤝'
- Showing agreement: 'Absolutely, I'm with you on that. 🤝'
- Indicating partnership: 'Our teams worked well together. 🤝'
- Representing a romantic connection (less common for this exact sequence, but implied by 'two hands'): 'Happy anniversary, my love. 🤝'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Commonly used to represent romantic relationships, strong friendships, or solidarity in social movements.
East Asian culture:
Similar usage to Western culture, often indicating a close bond, support, or a romantic/platonic connection. In some contexts, it might also convey respect or agreement in a formal or informal setting.