The 🫰🏼 emoji shows a hand making a small heart shape by crossing the thumb and index finger. Known as the finger heart emoji, this popular gesture is often used to express love, affection, appreciation, and sweet feelings toward someone.
It became especially popular through Korean pop culture and K-pop, where celebrities and fans use it to share adorable messages of affection. However, its meaning can go beyond romantic love. People also send 🫰🏼 to show friendship, gratitude, support, or admiration for someone they care about.
On WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, this emoji adds a cute and personal touch to messages, comments, and captions. If a guy, girl, friend, or crush sends you 🫰🏼, the meaning may depend on your relationship and the surrounding conversation.
Quick Answer: What Does 🫰🏼 Mean?
🫰🏼 usually means love, affection, or a small “finger heart.” It can be used to say “I love you,” “love you,” “sending love,” “you’re sweet,” or “I care about you.” Depending on context, it can also refer to money, something expensive, snapping fingers, or a playful tiny-heart gesture.
The safest way to understand 🫰🏼 emoji meaning is to look at the words around it, the relationship between the people, and the overall tone of the conversation.
What Does “🫰🏼 emoji meaning” Mean?

The 🫰🏼 emoji represents a hand with the index finger and thumb crossed to form a small heart-like shape. The official Unicode name for the base emoji is “Hand with Index Finger and Thumb Crossed.” The 🫰🏼 version combines that hand gesture with the medium-light skin tone modifier.
In everyday texting, the most recognizable interpretation is the finger heart. The thumb and index finger make a tiny heart shape, so people often use it to communicate affection without typing a full sentence.
For example:
“Thank you for being there for me 🫰🏼”
Here, the emoji can add warmth and affection to the message.
It does not automatically mean romantic love, though. A friend can send 🫰🏼 to another friend, a fan can use it toward a celebrity, or someone can use it simply as a cute way to show appreciation.
The most common meanings of 🫰🏼
Depending on the situation, 🫰🏼 can communicate:
- Love
- Affection
- Appreciation
- Support
- A small or cute heart
- “Love you”
- “Sending love”
- Friendship
- Sweetness or cuteness
- A playful finger-heart gesture
- Money or something expensive
- A request involving payment
- Snapping fingers in some contexts
Unicode’s keyword annotations for 🫰 include heart, love, money, expensive, snap, finger, and thumb, showing why the emoji can have more than one interpretation.
What Does 🫰🏼 Mean in Text Messages?

In text messages, 🫰🏼 most often adds affection or warmth to what someone has written.
For example:
“Good luck today 🫰🏼”
This could mean:
- “I care about you.”
- “I’m supporting you.”
- “Sending you love.”
- “I hope everything goes well.”
Another example is:
“You’re the sweetest 🫰🏼”
Here, the emoji makes the message feel more affectionate and friendly.
The important point is that 🫰🏼 does not have one fixed emotional level. It can be mildly friendly or strongly affectionate depending on the conversation.
If someone has already been flirting with you, 🫰🏼 may feel romantic. If a close friend sends it after thanking you, it may simply mean appreciation.
🫰🏼 Meaning From a Girl
If a girl sends you 🫰🏼, it commonly suggests affection, appreciation, friendliness, or a cute expression of love.
For example:
“Aww, thank you 🫰🏼”
This usually sounds warm and appreciative.
If she sends:
“Miss you 🫰🏼”
the gesture becomes more affectionate and may have a romantic feeling if the two of you are already close.
However, 🫰🏼 alone is not proof that she has romantic feelings. Emojis do not provide enough information to determine someone’s intentions by themselves.
Look at the complete conversation instead.
If a girl sends 🫰🏼 after a compliment
Suppose you say:
“You looked amazing today.”
She replies:
“That’s so sweet 🫰🏼”
The emoji probably reinforces her appreciation and warmth.
It does not necessarily mean “I like you romantically.”
If a girl sends 🫰🏼 with “love you”
If she says:
“Love you 🫰🏼”
the meaning is much clearer: she is expressing love or affection. Whether that love is romantic, friendly, or family-related depends on your relationship.
🫰🏼 Meaning From a Guy
When a guy sends 🫰🏼, it can also mean love, appreciation, affection, friendship, or support.
For example:
“You got this 🫰🏼”
This can mean:
“I believe in you.”
Or:
“Thanks for helping me 🫰🏼”
This can simply mean:
“I appreciate you.”
A guy may also use 🫰🏼 in a romantic conversation to make a message softer or more affectionate.
Again, the emoji itself does not tell you exactly what kind of relationship he wants.
The surrounding words matter more than the emoji alone.
🫰🏼 Meaning From a Girl to a Guy
When a girl sends 🫰🏼 to a guy, it may communicate:
- Affection
- Appreciation
- Friendly warmth
- Support
- A cute response
- Romantic interest in some contexts
Consider these two examples:
“Thanks for helping me today 🫰🏼”
This sounds appreciative.
“Goodnight, handsome 🫰🏼”
This has a stronger possibility of being flirtatious or romantic because the words create that context.
The same emoji can therefore carry different emotional meanings in different conversations.
🫰🏼 Meaning From a Guy to a Girl
A guy may use 🫰🏼 to show that he cares, appreciates someone, or wants to add affection to a message.
For example:
“Take care of yourself 🫰🏼”
This can express concern and warmth.
Or:
“You looked beautiful today 🫰🏼”
In this context, the emoji can strengthen the affectionate or flirtatious tone.
Still, avoid reading too much into the symbol alone. The person’s words, behavior, and relationship with you provide much more useful context.
🫰🏼 Meaning in Different Contexts
The meaning of this emoji can shift depending on where and how it appears.
Everyday Conversation
In everyday communication, 🫰🏼 can represent a small heart or affectionate gesture.
Someone might use it after saying:
“Thank you!”
The emoji makes the message feel warmer than a plain “thank you.”
It can also be used jokingly when someone wants to appear cute or sweet.
Text Messages
Texting is one of the most common places to see 🫰🏼.
People use it to:
- Show affection
- Thank someone
- Send support
- Respond to kindness
- Make a message feel cute
- Express friendship
- Add a loving tone
Because texting does not include facial expressions or body language, emojis can help communicate emotional tone.
Social Media
On social media, 🫰🏼 is often used in comments, captions, replies, and fan interactions.
For example:
“This outfit is everything 🫰🏼”
The emoji can add admiration or affection.
A fan might comment:
“Love you forever 🫰🏼”
Here, the gesture expresses support and affection toward a public figure.
On WhatsApp, 🫰🏼 can be used in both private and group chats.
Friends may use it after sharing good news:
“I finally passed my exam 🫰🏼”
A friend might reply:
“So proud of you 🫰🏼”
In a romantic relationship, the same emoji can appear in goodnight messages, compliments, or affectionate replies.
Snapchat
On Snapchat, 🫰🏼 can add a cute or affectionate feeling to a short message or snap.
For example:
“Have fun tonight 🫰🏼”
The gesture can communicate warmth without requiring a long response.
Instagram users often use 🫰🏼 in comments and captions.
For example:
“Beautiful photo 🫰🏼”
or:
“My favorite person 🫰🏼”
The meaning depends on the relationship between the people involved.
TikTok
On TikTok, 🫰🏼 can appear in comments, captions, replies, or videos involving cute or affectionate content.
It is particularly recognizable as a finger-heart gesture, a form of expression strongly associated with South Korean popular culture and celebrities. Emojipedia notes that the finger-heart gesture became widely popular through South Korean actors, K-pop stars, and comedians during the 2010s.
Gaming
In gaming chats, 🫰🏼 is less specific.
A player might use it after receiving help:
“Thanks for the revive 🫰🏼”
In that case, it probably means appreciation or friendly affection.
If the conversation is about an expensive game item, purchase, or payment, the emoji could instead relate to money.
Professional Communication
🫰🏼 is generally more appropriate for casual professional communication than formal business writing.
For example, a close coworker might use it in an informal team chat:
“Great job on the presentation 🫰🏼”
However, it may not be suitable for every formal email, legal document, academic message, or official business communication.
When the tone needs to be highly professional, words are usually clearer.
5 Real-Life Examples of 🫰🏼 Emoji Meaning
Example 1: Showing Love
Sentence:
“Love you so much 🫰🏼”
Meaning:
The sender is expressing love or strong affection.
Situation:
This could happen between romantic partners, family members, or close friends.
Example 2: Showing Appreciation
Sentence:
“Thanks for helping me today 🫰🏼”
Meaning:
The sender appreciates the other person’s help and is adding a warm, affectionate tone.
Situation:
A friend helped with homework, work, travel, or another problem.
Example 3: Sending Support
Sentence:
“Good luck with your interview tomorrow 🫰🏼”
Meaning:
The sender is showing support and care.
Situation:
A friend or loved one wants to encourage someone before an important event.
Example 4: Romantic Affection
Sentence:
“Goodnight, beautiful 🫰🏼”
Meaning:
The emoji adds a sweet and affectionate tone to the message.
Situation:
Two people who are dating or flirting may use it as part of a goodnight message.
Example 5: Talking About Money
Sentence:
“That restaurant is so expensive 🫰🏼”
Meaning:
Here, the gesture may refer to money, cost, or something being expensive.
Situation:
Someone is joking about the price of a meal, product, trip, or luxury item.
This money-related use is documented in emoji references, which note that 🫰 can be used for an expensive item, money, lack of money, or a request to be paid.
When Do People Use 🫰🏼?
People commonly use 🫰🏼 when they want to communicate an emotion visually instead of writing a longer sentence.
People use it to show affection
A small finger heart can be an easy way to say:
“Love you.”
People use it to show appreciation
It can make a simple “thanks” sound warmer.
People use it to support someone
For example:
“You can do it 🫰🏼”
This adds encouragement.
People use it in romantic conversations
Partners and people who are flirting may use it alongside affectionate words.
People use it between friends
The emoji is not limited to romantic relationships. Friends can use it to show care and closeness.
People use it because it looks cute
Sometimes there is no deep hidden message. The sender may simply like the finger-heart gesture.
Is 🫰🏼 a Romantic Emoji?
It can be romantic, but it is not always romantic.
This is one of the most important things to understand about 🫰🏼.
If someone sends:
“I love you 🫰🏼❤️”
the overall message is clearly affectionate.
But if someone says:
“Thanks for the recommendation 🫰🏼”
the emoji is more likely showing appreciation.
Context changes everything.
Signs that 🫰🏼 may be romantic
It may have a romantic meaning when it appears with:
- “I miss you”
- “I love you”
- “Goodnight, babe”
- Romantic compliments
- Flirty messages
- ❤️
- 😘
- 🥰
- Romantic photos or captions
Even then, the emoji should be interpreted alongside the actual conversation rather than treated as proof of someone’s feelings.
Different Meanings of 🫰🏼
The gesture has several possible meanings. Here are the main ones.
1. Love
Definition:
A way to show love or strong affection.
Context:
Romantic, family, friendship, or fan communication.
Example:
“Always here for you 🫰🏼”
2. Finger Heart
Definition:
A tiny heart formed by the thumb and index finger.
Context:
Cute messages, social media, K-pop-related content, and affectionate conversations.
Example:
“Sending you a little heart 🫰🏼”
This is probably the most recognizable cultural interpretation of the gesture.
3. Appreciation
Definition:
A warm way to say thank you or show gratitude.
Context:
Friends, family, coworkers, or online conversations.
Example:
“Thank you for listening 🫰🏼”
4. Friendship
Definition:
A friendly expression of care or closeness.
Context:
Messages between friends.
Example:
“Best friends forever 🫰🏼”
5. Money
Definition:
The hand gesture can refer to money, cost, or something expensive.
Context:
Talking about prices, shopping, luxury, payments, or finances.
Example:
“That phone costs way too much 🫰🏼”
This meaning comes from the gesture’s association with money and expensive things and is included among Unicode’s keywords for the emoji.
6. Snapping Fingers
Definition:
The gesture can sometimes represent snapping fingers.
Context:
Music, rhythm, performance, or playful messages.
Example:
“Great beat 🫰🏼”
This interpretation is less common in everyday texting than the finger-heart meaning, but it is part of the emoji’s documented keyword set.
🫰🏼 vs ❤️: What Is the Difference?
Both can communicate love, but they feel different.
❤️ is a traditional heart symbol. It directly represents love, affection, or emotional warmth.
🫰🏼 represents a physical hand gesture that creates a tiny heart with the fingers.
For example:
“I love you ❤️”
is direct and classic.
“I love you 🫰🏼”
can feel more playful, cute, or personal because it resembles a real-life finger-heart gesture.
You can also combine them:
“Love you 🫰🏼❤️”
This makes the affectionate meaning even more obvious.
🫰🏼 vs 🫶🏼
These emojis are related but visually different.
🫰🏼 represents the finger-heart gesture.
🫶🏼 represents two hands forming a larger heart.
Both can express love, support, appreciation, and affection.
A useful way to remember the difference is:
- 🫰🏼 = small finger heart
- 🫶🏼 = heart made with two hands
🫰🏼 vs 🤞🏼
These two can be confused because both involve crossed fingers.
However, they represent different gestures.
🫰🏼 has the index finger and thumb crossed to create a small heart shape.
🤞🏼 is the traditional crossed-fingers gesture, often associated with luck or hoping for a favorable outcome.
So:
“Wish me luck 🤞🏼”
is different from:
“Love you 🫰🏼”
Unicode lists 🤞 as “crossed fingers” and 🫰 as “hand with index finger and thumb crossed.”
🫰🏼 vs 🤟🏼
The gestures can also look similar in some contexts, but they have different official names and meanings.
🤟🏼 is the “love-you gesture,” commonly associated with the American Sign Language “I love you” handshape.
🫰🏼 is the hand-with-index-finger-and-thumb-crossed gesture, commonly recognized as a finger heart.
They should not automatically be treated as the same emoji.
What Does 🫰🏼 Mean on TikTok?
On TikTok, 🫰🏼 often appears as a cute finger-heart gesture.
People may use it in comments such as:
“You’re so cute 🫰🏼”
or:
“Love this video 🫰🏼”
Its meaning can be especially connected with Korean pop culture, where the finger-heart gesture became highly recognizable through celebrities and K-pop culture. Emojipedia describes the gesture as being popularized by South Korean celebrities during the 2010s.
However, TikTok users can use the emoji in many other ways too. The platform does not give the symbol one universal meaning.
What Does 🫰🏼 Mean on Instagram?
On Instagram, 🫰🏼 is commonly used to express:
- Love
- Appreciation
- Admiration
- Friendship
- Support
- Cuteness
For example:
“This photo is beautiful 🫰🏼”
could simply mean the commenter likes the photo.
If a partner writes:
“My favorite person 🫰🏼”
the same emoji can support a romantic message.
What Does 🫰🏼 Mean on Snapchat?
On Snapchat, the emoji can make a short message feel warmer.
For example:
“See you tomorrow 🫰🏼”
may communicate friendliness or affection.
Because Snapchat messages are often short and casual, emojis can carry emotional tone that would otherwise be difficult to see in plain text.
What Does 🫰🏼 Mean From Your Crush?
If your crush sends 🫰🏼, it can feel romantic, but you should not assume that it definitely means they like you.
Look at the entire message.
For example:
“Goodnight 🫰🏼”
could be affectionate.
But:
“Thanks for the notes 🫰🏼”
is more likely appreciation.
If the person also uses romantic language, compliments you, starts conversations frequently, or combines the emoji with other clearly affectionate messages, the overall conversation may feel more romantic.
The emoji itself cannot establish someone’s intentions.
What Does 🫰🏼 Mean From Your Partner?
Between romantic partners, 🫰🏼 can naturally mean:
- “I love you.”
- “I care about you.”
- “Thinking of you.”
- “Sending love.”
- “You’re special to me.”
- “You’re cute.”
For example:
“Have a safe trip, love 🫰🏼”
The context makes the affectionate meaning clear.
Partners may also use it simply because the gesture is cute.
Can 🫰🏼 Mean “I Love You”?
Yes. 🫰🏼 can be used to express “I love you” or affection.
The finger-heart gesture itself is strongly associated with love and affection, and Unicode includes “love” and “heart” among its keywords.
However, 🫰🏼 is not a guaranteed translation of the exact words “I love you.”
For example:
“Thanks 🫰🏼”
does not necessarily mean “I love you.”
It may simply mean:
“Thank you, I appreciate you.”
Always read the emoji together with the message.
Can 🫰🏼 Mean Money?
Yes.
This is one of the less obvious meanings.
The hand gesture can refer to money, something expensive, being short on money, or a request for payment. This is reflected in Unicode’s emoji annotations and Emojipedia’s description.
For example:
“That designer bag is obsessed expensive 🫰🏼”
Here, the emoji can emphasize the cost.
Another example:
“Where’s my payment? 🫰🏼”
In a joking context, it may mean “Where’s the money?”
Context is especially important here because the same symbol can mean love in one conversation and money in another.
Origin of 🫰🏼
The official Unicode name for 🫰 is “Hand with Index Finger and Thumb Crossed.” Its Unicode code point is U+1FAF0. Unicode’s current emoji charts list the gesture under that official name and associate it with keywords such as heart, love, money, expensive, snap, index, and thumb.
The emoji was approved in Unicode 14.0 and added to Emoji 14.0 in 2021. The medium-light skin-tone version 🫰🏼 is a skin-tone sequence based on the same gesture.
The cultural background of the finger heart
The physical finger-heart gesture has a strong connection with South Korean popular culture.
The gesture involves crossing or positioning the thumb and index finger so they create a tiny heart shape. It became especially popular through South Korean celebrities, actors, comedians, and K-pop stars during the 2010s.
This cultural association helped make the gesture widely recognizable around the world.
It is important to separate the gesture’s cultural history from the emoji’s digital history. The physical gesture existed before the emoji was standardized by Unicode.
When was 🫰🏼 added?
The base 🫰 emoji was added as part of Emoji 14.0 in 2021. Unicode also supports skin-tone versions, including the medium-light version 🫰🏼.
The Unicode standard gives the emoji its technical name, while people online may call it a finger heart emoji, Korean finger heart, mini heart emoji, or simply the love hand emoji.
Why Does 🫰🏼 Have a Skin Tone?
The 🏼 part represents a medium-light skin tone.
The emoji is essentially:
🫰 + 🏼 = 🫰🏼
The base hand gesture stays the same, while the skin-tone modifier changes how the hand is displayed.
Unicode and Emojipedia list 🫰🏼 specifically as the Hand with Index Finger and Thumb Crossed: Medium-Light Skin Tone.
The skin tone does not automatically change the emotional meaning.
For example:
- 🫰🏻
- 🫰🏼
- 🫰🏽
- 🫰🏾
- 🫰🏿
represent the same basic hand gesture with different skin-tone appearances.
Common Mistakes When Interpreting 🫰🏼
Mistake 1: Assuming it always means romance
Not every 🫰🏼 is a romantic signal.
A friend may use it simply to say:
“Thanks 🫰🏼”
That is usually an affectionate or appreciative response.
Mistake 2: Confusing it with 🤞🏼
The two gestures are different.
🤞🏼 generally represents crossed fingers and can relate to luck.
🫰🏼 represents the thumb and index finger crossed into a finger-heart shape.
Mistake 3: Ignoring the words around it
An emoji should not be interpreted separately from the message.
Compare:
“Good luck tomorrow 🫰🏼”
with:
“Love you 🫰🏼”
The emotional context is clearly different.
Mistake 4: Assuming the sender has romantic feelings
A single emoji cannot reliably tell you whether someone has a crush on you.
If you’re trying to understand someone’s intentions, consider the entire conversation rather than relying on one symbol.
Mistake 5: Assuming the emoji has only one meaning
🫰🏼 can represent love, affection, appreciation, money, expensive things, and other playful meanings.
Unicode’s keywords themselves reflect this range.
How to Understand 🫰🏼 Correctly
When someone sends 🫰🏼, ask yourself a few simple questions.
What did they say before the emoji?
The preceding words often provide the strongest clue.
“Thank you 🫰🏼” suggests appreciation.
“I miss you 🫰🏼” suggests affection.
What is your relationship with the person?
A partner, friend, family member, coworker, and stranger may use the same emoji differently.
Are other emojis included?
A combination such as:
🫰🏼❤️🥰
has a stronger affectionate feeling than 🫰🏼 alone.
Is the conversation about money?
If you’re talking about prices or payment, 🫰🏼 may have a money-related meaning.
Is the conversation about Korean culture or K-pop?
In that setting, the finger-heart interpretation becomes especially relevant.
Similar Words and Alternatives
There are several emojis and expressions that can communicate feelings similar to 🫰🏼.
| Emoji or phrase | Common meaning | Difference |
| ❤️ | Love, affection | Direct heart symbol |
| 🫶 | Love, support | Two hands form a heart |
| 💕 | Affection, love | Two-heart symbol |
| 💗 | Growing affection | Softer heart expression |
| 🤟 | Love-you gesture | Different hand gesture |
| 😘 | Kiss, affection | More directly romantic |
| 🥰 | Loving, affectionate feeling | Facial expression |
| “Love you” | Love | Words are more direct |
| “Sending love” | Care and affection | Verbal alternative |
| “Thank you” | Gratitude | Less emotionally expressive |
Similar expressions in text
Depending on the context, you could replace 🫰🏼 with:
- “Love you”
- “Sending love”
- “Much love”
- “You’re the best”
- “Thank you!”
- “I appreciate you”
- “You’re so sweet”
- “Take care”
- “Lots of love”
The best alternative depends on what you are trying to communicate.
How Should You Reply to 🫰🏼?
Your response should match the tone of the original message.
If you want to respond affectionately
You could send:
“🫰🏼❤️”
or:
“Love you too!”
If it is from a friend
You could say:
“Aww, thanks!”
or:
“Right back at you 🫰🏼”
If it is romantic
You might respond:
“You’re so sweet ❤️”
or:
“Miss you too 🫰🏼”
If you are unsure what they mean
Look at the message rather than asking immediately about the emoji.
If the conversation is ambiguous, you can respond naturally and see how the person continues the conversation.
Is 🫰🏼 a Good Emoji to Use?
For casual conversations, 🫰🏼 can be a warm and friendly choice.
It works especially well when you want to add affection without writing a long emotional message.
It is commonly suitable for:
- Friends
- Partners
- Family
- Social media
- Casual chats
- Supportive messages
- Thank-you messages
- Fan interactions
It may be less suitable for:
- Very formal emails
- Legal documents
- Academic writing
- Serious official notices
- Formal business correspondence
The right choice always depends on the relationship and communication setting.
Internal Linking Suggestions
If you are building an emoji-meaning website, this article can naturally link to related pages such as:
- 🫶 emoji meaning
- ❤️ Red Heart emoji meaning
- 🤞 emoji meaning
- 🤟 emoji meaning
- 💗 emoji meaning
- 🥰 emoji meaning
- What does ❤️ mean in texting?
- Heart emoji meanings by color
- Emoji meanings in text messages
- What does 🫰 mean from a girl?
- What does 🫰 mean from a guy?
These links can help readers move from one related emoji topic to another without interrupting their search journey.
Suggested External Authority Sources
For factual emoji information, useful authority references include Unicode’s official emoji charts and established emoji-reference resources such as Emojipedia.
Unicode provides the official technical name, code point, and emoji information, while Emojipedia provides additional explanations of common usage and cultural context.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does 🫰🏼 mean in texting?
🫰🏼 usually means love, affection, appreciation, or a finger heart. It can also refer to money or something expensive depending on the conversation.
2. What does 🫰🏼 mean from a girl?
From a girl, 🫰🏼 may show affection, appreciation, friendship, or romantic warmth. Its exact meaning depends on the words and relationship.
3. What does 🫰🏼 mean from a guy?
From a guy, 🫰🏼 can mean affection, support, appreciation, friendship, or romantic interest. The emoji alone does not prove romantic feelings.
4. Is 🫰🏼 a romantic emoji?
It can be romantic, but it is not exclusively romantic. Friends and family can also use it to show affection or appreciation.
5. What does 🫰🏼 mean on TikTok?
On TikTok, 🫰🏼 is often used as a finger-heart gesture to express love, support, appreciation, or cuteness. It is also associated with Korean pop culture.
6. Does 🫰🏼 mean “I love you”?
It can communicate “I love you” or affection, especially when used with romantic words. However, the exact meaning depends on the conversation.
7. Can 🫰🏼 mean money?
Yes. 🫰🏼 can refer to money, something expensive, payment, or financial topics in the right context. Unicode’s emoji annotations include money and expensive among its keywords.
Conclusion
The 🫰🏼 emoji meaning is most commonly connected with love, affection, appreciation, and the cute finger-heart gesture. The thumb and index finger create a small heart shape, making the emoji an easy way to add warmth to a message.
It can be used by friends, partners, family members, fans, and social media users, so it is not automatically romantic. Depending on context, 🫰🏼 can also refer to money, something expensive, snapping fingers, or a playful gesture. The medium-light skin tone changes the emoji’s appearance but does not create a different basic meaning. The emoji was standardized in Unicode 14.0 and added to Emoji 14.0 in 2021. When you receive 🫰🏼, look at the surrounding words, your relationship with the sender, and the overall conversation before deciding what it means.