melon
Unicode: 1F348
Description
A green, prickly durian fruit with a light brown stem, often depicted with some of its distinctive thorns.
Group:
Food & Drink > food-fruit
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Generally represents the fruit itself, sometimes implying exoticism, strong smells, or acquired tastes. Can be used humorously in contexts related to its unique odor.
Backstory
This emoji was introduced in Unicode 6.0 (2010). The durian is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, famous for its large size, thorny husk, and distinctive-smelling, custard-like flesh. Its strong odor has led to bans in some public places in Southeast Asia.
Usage Examples
- Talking about food: 'Just had fresh durian, so good! 1F348'
- Discussing travel: 'Missing the durian season in Thailand! 1F348'
- Humorous context: 'Phew, what's that smell? Did someone open a durian? 1F348'
- Expressing an acquired taste: 'It's an acquired taste, but I love durian! 1F348'
Cultural Differences
Southeast Asian culture:
Highly valued as the 'King of Fruits,' often associated with luxury, significant occasions, and local pride. Its smell is widely accepted and even celebrated.
Western culture:
Often seen as an exotic, unusual, and sometimes controversial fruit, primarily noted for its strong, pungent odor, which can be off-putting to those unfamiliar with it.