writing hand: light skin tone
Unicode: 270D 1F3FB
Description
A hand making a fist while pointing with the index finger and thumb, also known as the 'writing hand' or 'OK hand' gesture, with an Fitzpatrick skin tone modifier of type 2 (light skin tone). This specific combination represents a hand holding a writing instrument or forming a specific gesture.
Group:
People & Body > hand-prop
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
The primary emotion conveyed by the 'writing hand' is one of action, creativity, education, or agreement (as the 'OK' gesture). When used purely as a writing hand, it's neutral, representing the act itself. When interpreted as the 'OK' gesture, it conveys approval, satisfaction, or agreement.
Backstory
The base 'writing hand' emoji (✍️) was part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010. The skin tone modifiers (like 1F3FB) were added later in Unicode 8.0 (2015) to allow for more diverse representation. This specific emoji combines the writing hand with a light skin tone. Its inclusion reflects the need to represent the common act of writing and the versatility of hand gestures.
Usage Examples
- To indicate writing: 'Time to start writing that report ✍️🏻'
- To affirm agreement (as OK gesture): 'Sounds good, let's do it! ✍️🏻'
- As a playful way to say something is complete: 'Homework done! ✍️🏻'
- To suggest signing a document: 'Please review and sign here ✍️🏻'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Often used for 'OK' or 'A-OK' (meaning all good, approved). Also used to represent writing, signing, or drawing.
East Asian culture:
Can represent money in some contexts (e.g., in Japan), though less common than the 'OK' meaning. Still widely recognized for its 'OK' or writing connotations.
Some Middle Eastern/South American cultures:
Can be considered offensive or an insult in some regions, though this is primarily for the general isolated 'OK' gesture, less so for the specific 'writing hand' interpretation often found in keyboards.