bear
Unicode: 1F43B
Description
A cartoon-style face of a bear, typically brown or black, with rounded ears, a snout, and small eyes. It often appears friendly and whimsical, capturing the common perception of bears in children's stories.
Group:
Animals & Nature > animal-mammal
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents warmth, cuteness, strength, nature, or childhood. It can also be used to signify a 'bear hug' or comfort. Its meaning is generally benign.
Backstory
The bear emoji was introduced in Unicode 6.0 in 2010. It quickly became popular for its versatile representation of animals, nature, and the widely beloved 'teddy bear' concept.
Usage Examples
- Expressing cuteness: 'Look at that cute puppy 🐻'
- Talking about nature: 'Going on a hike in the mountains today 🐻🌳'
- Referring to a 'bear hug': 'Need a big bear hug after this day 🐻🤗'
- Mentioning animals: 'Saw a documentary on bears last night 🐻'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Often associated with teddy bears, cuddliness, children's toys, or mascots. Can also represent strength or wilderness depending on context.
East Asian culture:
Similar associations with cuteness and comfort, but less commonly used in romantic or deeply emotional contexts than some other emojis.