bomb
Unicode: 1F4A3
Description
A cartoon-style bomb, typically black or gray, with a lit fuse at the top.
Group:
Objects > tool
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Represents danger, destruction, explosion, or something exciting/unexpected. Can also symbolize 'bombing' as in doing very well or very poorly (e.g., 'killing it' or 'failing').
Backstory
The bomb emoji was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010. Its design is a simplified representation of a cartoon bomb, often seen in animated media to denote an impending explosion or danger. It has evolved to represent various forms of 'explosive' situations or performances.
Usage Examples
- Warning about something dangerous: 'Watch out, that's a 💣 idea.'
- Expressing something is awesome: 'That new song is 💣!'
- Figurative explosion of emotions: 'My mind just 💣 right now.'
- In gaming contexts: 'Just dropped a huge 💣 on the enemy base.'
- Representing a stressful situation: 'My week is going to be a 💣.'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Commonly used to indicate something is 'bomb' (excellent), or for threats, warnings, or intense situations. Also used in gaming contexts.
East Asian culture:
Similar uses for danger or excitement. Less common for 'excellent' compared to some Western slang. May be more directly linked to literal explosions or threats.