pill
Unicode: 1F48A
Description
A dark red or brown glass vial with a black stopper, often depicted with a skull and crossbones or bubbling liquid inside, signifying poison.
Group:
Objects > medical
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents danger, warning, harm, something toxic, or a negative influence. Can also be used playfully in a sarcastic or exaggerated way.
Backstory
The Poison Bottle emoji was introduced in Unicode 6.0 in 2010. Its design is based on classic depictions of poison vials, often seen in fairy tales, historical apothecaries, and Halloween imagery. It quickly became a recognized symbol for anything harmful or dangerous in digital communication.
Usage Examples
- Warning about something dangerous: 'That advice is pure poison! 💀🧪'
- Expressing something negative or harmful: 'This coffee tastes like 🧪 today.'
- Figurative toxicity: 'His words were 🧪 to her spirit.'
- Gaming context for an item or effect: 'You picked up a poison potion 🧪.'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Strongly associated with poison, death, danger, and toxicity. Used metaphorically for harmful ideas or relationships.
East Asian culture:
Similar associations with poison and danger. Sometimes used in gaming contexts for debuffs or harmful effects.