up-down arrow
Unicode: 2195 FE0F
Description
A vertical double-headed arrow pointing both up and down. The FE0F is a variation selector that indicates an emoji style representation.
Group:
Symbols > arrow
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Generally represents concepts of up/down, movement, change, exchange, or bidirectional relationships. It is largely functional rather than emotional.
Backstory
This symbol predates emojis and is part of the basic Unicode set (Arrows block, Unicode 1.1, 1993). The FE0F variation selector was added later to ensure it renders as an emoji character, distinguishing it from its plain text symbol counterpart. It's a standard directional indicator.
Usage Examples
- Indicating fluctuating values: 'Stock market is ↕️ today.'
- Showing vertical movement: 'The elevator goes ↕️.'
- Describing a bidirectional process: 'Data transfer is ↕️.'
- Symbolizing change or contrast: 'Opinions are ↕️ on this topic.'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Used for 'up and down' movement, fluctuation, or bidirectional processes (e.g., 'trading up and down', 'back and forth').
East Asian culture:
Similar functional use, representing direction, change, or exchange. Less about emotional content.