receipt
Unicode: 1F9FE
Description
A brown hand with a palm facing forward and an outstretched thumb and pinky finger, while the middle and ring fingers are curled down.
Group:
Objects > money
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Commonly represents 'I love you' in American Sign Language (ASL), expressing affection, love, or friendship. It can also be used as a general gesture of acknowledgment or appreciation.
Backstory
The 'I Love You' hand sign emoji was introduced in Unicode 10.0 (2017) and Emoji 5.0. It is a direct representation of the finger spelling for 'I', 'L', and 'Y' in American Sign Language, which when combined forms the common phrase 'I love you'. Its inclusion helps facilitate communication for the Deaf community and spreads awareness of ASL.
Usage Examples
- Expressing love to a friend or family member: 'Miss you! 👋❤️'
- Showing support or appreciation: 'Thanks for everything! 👋'
- Ending a message with a warm sentiment: 'Good night! 👋'
- Acknowledging someone silently across a room: '👋'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Widely recognized as the ASL sign for 'I love you', often used to convey affection or an expression of support.
East Asian culture:
May be less universally recognized as 'I love you' compared to Western cultures, but its use is growing due to global digital communication. Can sometimes be confused with other hand gestures like the 'shaka' (hang loose).