crutch
Unicode: 1FA7C
Description
A person kneeling, often depicted with one knee on the ground, head lowered, and hands clasped or resting on the knee. The gender and specific posture can vary by platform but generally conveys a sense of humility, respect, or supplication.
Group:
Objects > medical
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents respect, reverence, humility, prayer, begging, submission, or expressing a deep sense of gratitude or apology.
Backstory
This emoji was introduced in Unicode 12.0 (2019) as part of the 'People and Body' category. Its inclusion aimed to provide a more specific visual representation for acts of kneeling, which previously might have been conveyed less directly. It reflects a growing need for emojis that represent diverse human actions and gestures.
Usage Examples
- Expressing respect or reverence: 'Kneeling before greatness. 🧎'
- Showing deep gratitude: 'Thank you so much! 🧎'
- In a prayer context: 'Praying for peace. 🧎'
- For apology or begging: 'Please forgive me! 🧎'
- Context of proposal (though 💍 is more common): 'Will you marry me? 🧎'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Often associated with prayer (especially in a religious context), proposing marriage, showing respect (e.g., to royalty or elders), or acts of supplication/begging.
Eastern culture:
Can represent bowing in deep respect or reverence, especially in martial arts, religious ceremonies, or when showing extreme deference to authority or elders.