Bowing emoji
A person bowing ๐, a ribbon ๐ or a bow and arrow ๐น โ three different โbow emojiโ, all here to copy.
Published ยท Updated
What the bowing emoji means
โBow emojiโ can mean three different things. ๐ (person bowing) โ with ๐โโ๏ธ ๐โโ๏ธ โ is the deep bow: apology, respect, thanks, โI beg youโ, and in Japan a plain โsorryโ. ๐ (ribbon) is the bow you tie: gifts, the coquette aesthetic, cuteness. ๐น (bow and arrow) is the weapon: archery, Cupid, Sagittarius. Pick by meaning; searches for โbowing emojiโ want the first.
Unicode name: person bowing ยท U+1F647 ยท Emoji 0.6 (original set) ยท group: People & Body.
How people use it
- Apology or respect: ๐
- Gifts and cuteness: ๐
- Archery and Cupid: ๐น๐
- โTake a bowโ: ๐ after praise
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| person bowingU+1F647 | Bowing person; sorry, thanks, respect | Gendered variants are ZWJ sequences | |
| ribbonU+1F380 | Ribbon bow; gifts, coquette | Pink on most platforms | |
| bow and arrowU+1F3F9 | Weapon | ||
| folded handsU+1F64F | See the pray emoji guide |
Other names and uses for the bowing emoji
The bowing emoji ๐ shows a person with their upper body lowered, often used to say sorry, give thanks, or show respect. It is sometimes called the apologise emoji or the taking a bow emoji when used after a performance or when accepting praise. You might send it after a small mistake, to thank someone for a favour, or to show appreciation in a formal message. The meaning is clear even without extra text, so it often appears alone in messages.
Skin tone versions of the bowing emoji
The person bowing emoji supports skin tone modifiers. You can send the woman bowing with light skin tone ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ, medium-light skin tone ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ, or medium skin tone ๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ, among others. The meaning stays the same โ it is still an apology, a thank you, or a sign of respect. The modifier only changes the skin colour shown on the person. This also applies to the man bowing and the gender-neutral person bowing, each available in five skin tones plus the default yellow.
Chat examples
Real messages with ๐, and a reply that fits.
thank you ๐
๐โโ๏ธ
๐โโ๏ธ sorry for the delay
no worries
๐ much appreciated
any time
Questions people ask
What does ๐ mean?
A deep bow: apology, deference or gratitude. In Japanese usage it is a common โsorryโ or โpleaseโ.
What does ๐ mean in a caption?
Cuteness, femininity, the โcoquetteโ aesthetic, or a gift.
What does ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ mean?
The woman bowing emoji with light skin tone. It carries the same meaning as the base person bowing emoji: apology, deep thanks, or a respectful greeting.
What do the other skin tone versions, like ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ or ๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ, mean?
They have exactly the same meaning as the default bowing emoji. The skin tone modifier only changes the appearance of the person; the gesture and its uses do not change.
Is there a bow down emoji or a head down emoji?
There is no separate emoji called the bow down emoji or head down emoji. The person bowing emoji ๐ shows a person with their head and upper body lowered, and is often used to express apology, respect, or submission.
Is there a bend over emoji or bending over emoji?
There is no separate bend over emoji. The person bowing emoji ๐ shows a deep bow from the waist, and the folded hands emoji ๐ can be used for a similar apologetic or thankful gesture.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the Emoji Directory editorial team, without ads or sponsorship. Meanings describe how the emoji is commonly used in public posts and messages, not an official definition. Names, code points, versions, keywords and translations come from the Unicode Emoji 18.0 and CLDR data; shortcodes from the gemoji project. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
