umbrella
Unicode: 2602 FE0F
Description
A dark cloud with a zigzag lightning bolt striking from beneath it, often depicted as yellow or white.
Group:
Travel & Places > sky & weather
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Commonly represents bad weather, storms, thunder, lightning, or a generally negative and tumultuous situation.
Backstory
This emoji, combining U+2602 CLOUD and U+FE0F VARIATION SELECTOR-16, was first categorized under 'Weather' in Unicode 6.0 (2010). It's a standard representation for thunderstorms and has evolved to encompass broader concepts of sudden trouble or impact.
Usage Examples
- Describing weather: 'It's really stormy outside today. ⛈️'
- Expressing sudden bad news: 'My internet just went out. ⛈️'
- Figurative use for conflict: 'There's a storm brewing between them. ⛈️'
- Reacting to a shocking reveal: 'I did not see that coming! ⛈️'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Primarily used for literal weather conditions or metaphorically for a sudden, impactful, and often negative event.
East Asian culture:
Similar literal and metaphorical uses. Can sometimes imply a 'shock' or 'surprise' in a more dramatic or comical context.