detective
Unicode: 1F575
Description
A figure of a person wearing a trench coat and fedora, with their face obscured or in shadow, often peeking from behind something.
Group:
People & Body > person-role
Status:
unqualified
Emotion:
Typically conveys a sense of secrecy, surveillance, mystery, or curiosity. Can also imply 'I'm watching you' or 'undercover operation'.
Backstory
This emoji was introduced in Unicode 7.0 (2014) as part of a set of more stylized and non-gender-specific emoji. It visually represents the classic 'spy' or 'detective' archetype common in popular culture, from film noir to cartoons.
Usage Examples
- Expressing curiosity: 'What's happening over there? 🕵️'
- Implying secrecy: 'Don't tell anyone, but... 🕵️'
- Humorous observation: 'I saw what you did there! 🕵️'
- Spy-themed content: 'Undercover mission initiated! 🕵️'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Strongly associated with spies, detectives, or secret agents, often used humorously to imply watchful observation or being nosey.
East Asian culture:
Similar associations with mystery or surveillance; can also be used in a playful context for 'watching' someone or something of interest.