man shrugging: medium skin tone
Unicode: 1F937 1F3FD 200D 2642
Description
A man shrugging, a person with a flat hand up indicating "I don't know" or "I can't help you" and the other arm down. This emoji depicts a light skin tone man.
Group:
People & Body > person-gesture
Status:
minimally-qualified
Emotion:
Typically expresses uncertainty, indifference, confusion, resignation, or a lack of knowledge/responsibility. It conveys a 'don't know' or 'can't be bothered' attitude.
Backstory
The shrug gesture itself is ancient, conveying uncertainty or resignation. The original 'person shrugging' emoji (1F937) was introduced in Unicode 9.0 (2016). The skin tone modifier (1F3FD for light skin tone) and the gender modifier (200D 2642 for male) were later additions, allowing for more specific representation and inclusivity, aligning with Unicode 6.0 and Emoji 4.0 standards.
Usage Examples
- When you don't know the answer: 'Where did I put my keys? 🤷♂️'
- Expressing indifference: 'Should we go out or stay in? 🤷♂️'
- Conveying resignation: 'Well, it happened. 🤷♂️'
- Indicating no responsibility: 'I don't know why it broke. 🤷♂️'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Widely understood as a 'shrug' indicating 'I don't know,' 'who cares,' or 'it is what it is.'
East Asian culture:
Similar meaning of 'I don't know' or 'whatever,' but might be used less frequently or with more nuance depending on context, as direct non-verbal communication can differ.