💼

briefcase

Unicode: 1F4BC

Description

A dark, rectangular bag typically made of leather or durable fabric, often with a handle, used for carrying documents, laptops, or other necessities for business or travel.

Group:

Objects > office

Status:

fully-qualified

Emotion:

Generally represents professionalism, work, business, travel, or responsibility. It can convey a sense of preparedness or being on a task.

Backstory

This emoji was introduced in Unicode 6.0 (2010) as part of a wider set of symbols representing everyday objects and professional items. It quickly became a standard representation for business-related contexts in digital communication.

Usage Examples

  • Indicating going to work: 'Time to head to the office! 💼'
  • Referring to a business trip: 'Packing for my trip to Tokyo 💼'
  • Talking about professional responsibilities: 'Got a lot of paperwork to deal with 💼'
  • Symbolizing a startup or new venture: 'Launching our new project soon! 💼'

Cultural Differences

Western culture:

Strongly associated with corporate work, office life, and professional settings. Often implies ambition or busy schedules.

East Asian culture:

Similar associations with work and business, but may also sometimes be used in contexts of 'school bags' for university students, highlighting academic pursuits.