Broken heart emoji
Copy the broken heart 💔, the mending heart ❤️🩹 and the whole heart ❤️, and see when a broken heart means heartbreak and when it just means “I’m gutted”.
Published · Updated
What the broken heart emoji means
💔 (broken heart) is a red heart split by a jagged crack. It is the emoji for heartbreak, grief and loss, but everyday use is lighter: “they cancelled the show 💔” or “last day of holiday 💔” means gutted, not devastated. It is one of the oldest emoji and displays everywhere.
❤️🩹 (mending heart) is a red heart with a bandage, added in Emoji 13.1. It means healing, recovering or getting through it, and it is a kinder reply to someone else’s bad news than 💔, which can look like you are matching their pain. ❤️ (red heart) is the whole heart for love and support. For hearts in other colours, the purple heart guide and black heart guide cover the two most-searched.
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| broken heartU+1F494 | Heartbreak, loss, “gutted” | Dramatic if the loss is small; that is usually the joke | |
| mending heartU+2764 U+FE0F U+200D U+1FA79 | Healing, recovery, support | ZWJ sequence; older devices show ❤️ and 🩹 separately | |
| red heartU+2764 U+FE0F | Love, support, “sending love” | Romantic in some contexts | |
| crying faceU+1F622 | Sadness as a face | See the sad emoji guide |
Using it well
- Your own disappointment: 💔 works for anything from a breakup to a sold-out gig.
- Someone else’s loss: ❤️ or ❤️🩹 plus words; 💔 can look performative.
- Pets and goodbyes: 💔 is common and sincere.
- Fan culture: “the season finale 💔” is standard.
Questions people ask
What does 💔 mean from a girl or a guy?
Heartbreak or disappointment, the same from anyone. How serious it is depends on what it replies to; often it is exaggeration.
How do I copy the mending heart?
Use the ❤️🩹 card above. It is a sequence of red heart, a zero-width joiner and the adhesive bandage; the card copies the full sequence.
Is there a half heart emoji?
No. The closest are 💔 (broken) and ❤️🩹 (mending). There is no half-filled heart in the standard set.
