teddy bear
Unicode: 1F9F8
Description
A teddy bear, typically brown or light brown, with a friendly expression. It often features small ears, a snout, and a soft, plush appearance.
Group:
Activities > game
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Represents comfort, cuteness, childhood, innocence, friendship, and warmth. Often used to convey security or affection.
Backstory
The teddy bear originated in the early 20th century, named after U.S. President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt. It became a beloved children's toy. The emoji was introduced in Unicode 10.0 (2017) as part of a wider effort to include more everyday objects and symbolic items.
Usage Examples
- Expressing comfort: 'Sending you a virtual hug and a 🧸 to feel better.'
- Talking about childhood: 'Remember our old 🧸s?'
- Highlighting cuteness: 'Look at that cute puppy! 🧸'
- Gift-giving: 'Got this adorable 🧸 for the new baby.'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Strongly associated with childhood, comfort, gifts for babies or loved ones, and symbols of care.
East Asian culture:
Similar associations with childhood and comfort, also frequently used in romantic contexts as a symbol of tenderness or a partner's comforting presence.