🕵️‍♂️

man detective

Unicode: 1F575 FE0F 200D 2642 FE0F

Description

A stylized figure wearing a fedora, portrayed as a detective or spy, typically with a trench coat. It's a combination of the 'Sleuth or Spy' person emoji and the male sign.

Group:

People & Body > person-role

Status:

fully-qualified

Emotion:

Represents curiosity, investigation, mystery, hidden motives, or a sense of observation. Can also imply being sneaky or watchful.

Backstory

The core 'Sleuth or Spy' (🕵️) emoji was introduced in Unicode 7.0 (2014). The male variation (🕵️‍♂️) was added as part of Emoji 4.0 in 2016, enabling gender-specific representations of various professions and roles. It visually combines the original detective emoji with the male gender sign.

Usage Examples

  • Asking a probing question: 'What really happened? 🕵️‍♂️'
  • Suggesting someone is secretly watching: 'He's always observing everything 🕵️‍♂️'
  • Indicating a search or investigation: 'Time to put on my detective hat 🕵️‍♂️'
  • Expressing a sense of mystery: 'There's something suspicious going on 🕵️‍♂️'

Cultural Differences

Western culture:

Often associated with classic detective archetypes (e.g., Sherlock Holmes, film noir) or used playfully to suggest someone is snooping.

East Asian culture:

Similar usage, but might also be used in contexts related to secret agents or undercover activities, perhaps influenced by detective manga/anime.