Ouch emoji 🤕
The ouch emoji 🤕 is a yellow face with a bandage wrapped around its head. It’s used to show pain, injury, or a rough day in text messages and social media.
Published · Updated
What the ouch emoji means
The ouch emoji 🤕 is a yellow face with a bandage wrapped around its head. It’s the standard way to say “that hurt” in a message, whether the pain is physical, like a bumped head, or emotional, like a disappointing turn of events.
Because the bandage is on the head, it suggests a specific kind of injury rather than general illness. You might send it after a clumsy moment, a sports mishap, or even a stressful day that left you feeling banged up. It’s also used sympathetically when someone else shares their bad news.
How people use the bandaged head emoji
In everyday chats, the bandaged head emoji 🤕 usually appears with a quick explanation. “I hit my head on the cupboard 🤕” works better than a long description, and the emoji adds a touch of humour to the complaint.
People also use it in these common ways:
- Reacting to a friend’s mishap: “Oh no, are you okay? 🤕”
- Describing a headache: “This meeting is giving me a headache 🤕”
- Softening a complaint: “I just dropped my phone 🤕”
- Adding drama to a minor injury: “I survived the IKEA trip 🤕”
On social media, it’s a gentle way to signal that something stung without being overly serious. It’s more specific than the sick emoji and less intense than the face vomiting.
Compare face with head-bandage with similar emoji
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| face with head-bandageU+1F915 | For bumps, injuries and general “ouch” moments | |
| face with medical maskU+1F637 | Worn to avoid spreading or catching germs | |
| face with thermometerU+1F912 | For fevers and being ill | |
| nauseated faceU+1F922 | Feeling queasy or disgusted | |
| face vomitingU+1F92E | Actually being sick | |
| sneezing faceU+1F927 | Colds, allergies and sneezing |
Head bandage emoji vs other unwell faces
The head bandage emoji 🤕 sits among several faces that show being unwell or in pain. The sick emoji indicates a fever or illness, while the bandage points to an injury or a bump.
The face with medical mask is about health precautions and not spreading germs, and the sneezing face is for colds and allergies. If you’re feeling queasy, the nauseated face is the right choice, and the vomiting face is for when it’s really bad.
The ouch emoji is also different from the dizzy or woozy faces, which suggest confusion or being out of it rather than a specific hurt. When you want to say “that hurts” without naming the body part, this emoji is the clearest shorthand.
How to type the head bandage emoji
You can type the head bandage emoji 🤕 from the emoji keyboard on your phone or tablet. Search for “bandage” or “head bandage” to find it quickly.
On a computer, you can copy the character from this page. Some apps also support the shortcode :face_with_head_bandage:, but copying is often faster.
Pasting the emoji works in emails, documents, and chat apps. Keep the emoji handy in a note if you use it often.
Questions people ask
What does the ouch emoji mean?
The ouch emoji 🤕 shows a face with a bandaged head and means pain, injury, or a rough experience. It can be physical, like bumping your head, or emotional, like a bad day.
When should I use the head bandage emoji?
Use it when you want to say “that hurt” or show sympathy for someone else’s mishap. It works for minor injuries, headaches, and any situation that stings a bit.
Is the ouch emoji the same as the sick emoji?
No, the sick emoji usually shows a face with a thermometer and means illness or fever. The ouch emoji is more about injury or pain, not being sick.
How do I type the head bandage emoji?
You can copy it from this page, use the emoji keyboard on your phone, or type the shortcode :face_with_head_bandage: on some platforms.
Can I use the ouch emoji for emotional pain?
Yes, it works for emotional pain too, like a disappointing event or a tough day. The bandage suggests you feel hurt even if there’s no physical injury.
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.
