tomato
Unicode: 1F345
Description
A glossy, ripe red tomato, often depicted with a green stem and leaves still attached.
Group:
Food & Drink > food-fruit
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Generally neutral, but can evoke feelings of freshness, health, or culinary delight. Can also be associated with summer or gardening.
Backstory
This emoji was introduced in Unicode 6.0 (2010). Tomatoes are a food staple worldwide, and their inclusion reflects the increasing need for diverse food representations in digital communication.
Usage Examples
- Indicating a healthy meal: 'Time for a fresh salad! 🍅'
- Sharing a recipe: 'Making homemade pasta sauce tonight! 🍝🍅'
- Gardening updates: 'My tomato plants are thriving! 🏡🍅'
- Describing hot weather: 'Perfect day for sun-ripened tomatoes! ☀️🍅'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Commonly recognized as a staple vegetable (though botanically a fruit) used in salads, sauces, and many dishes. Associated with concepts like 'garden fresh' or 'farm-to-table'.
Mediterranean culture:
Highly significant in Mediterranean cuisine, symbolizing freshness, sun-ripened flavors, and a core ingredient in many traditional dishes.
Global usage:
Universally understood as a food item. In some contexts, throwing tomatoes can symbolize disapproval or protest, but this emoji rarely carries that connotation directly.