Heart hands emoji
🫶 is the two-hands heart from selfies and K-pop stages: “love you”, thanks, appreciation. Copy it here and see how it differs from the finger heart 🫰.
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What the heart hands emoji means
🫶 (heart hands) shows two hands making a heart shape with thumbs and fingers, the pose from selfies, concert crowds and thank-you videos. It means love you, thank you, appreciate you, and it is warmer than 👍 and less romantic than ❤️, which makes it a favourite for creators talking to followers and for friends signing off. It was added in Emoji 14.0 (2021) with all five skin tones.
It is often confused with 🫰 (hand with index finger and thumb crossed), the Korean “finger heart” popularised by K-pop, added in the same release. The finger heart is a smaller, cuter gesture with the same meaning; both are new enough to show as boxes on older devices, in which case ❤️ or 🙌 are the fallbacks.
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| heart handsU+1FAF6 | “Love you”, thanks, appreciation | Newer (Emoji 14.0); may not render | |
| hand with index finger and thumb crossedU+1FAF0 | Finger heart; cute “love” | Also new; K-pop association | |
| raising handsU+1F64C | Praise, celebration | See the hands up guide | |
| love-you gestureU+1F91F | “I love you” in American Sign Language | Sometimes read as rock horns | |
| red heartU+2764 U+FE0F | Plain love | Displays everywhere — see the heart emoji guide |
Where it shows up
- Creator sign-offs: “thank you for 10k 🫶”.
- Friends: “miss you 🫶” — affectionate, not heavy.
- Fan comments: 🫶 under an idol’s post.
- Thanks that ❤️ would overstate: to a colleague who helped, 🫶 works where a red heart would not.
Heart hands as a kindness and empathy emoji
Because the heart hands gesture looks like offering a heart to someone, 🫶 works well for showing kindness and empathy online. It can soften a message and add warmth. When a friend shares something upsetting, a single 🫶 can say “I’m thinking of you”.
- Comforting someone going through a rough time
- Thanking a colleague for their support
- Cheering on a friend who’s nervous about something big
- Reacting to a touching story or post
The hands form the shape of a heart. That visual of offering a heart connects directly to feelings of care and understanding.
Heart hands in every skin tone
Like most hand emoji, heart hands can be customised with a skin tone. The five options are 🫶🏻, 🫶🏼, 🫶🏽, 🫶🏾, and 🫶🏿. The version without a skin tone works for everyone, but choosing a tone often makes the gesture feel more personal. The meaning does not change with the colour; it still conveys affection, thanks, or support.
A 🫶🏽 from a friend means the same as a 🫶 from anyone else. Skin tone is simply a way to represent yourself.
Holding heart emoji: the heart hands gesture
There is no standard emoji of a hand holding a separate red heart. The closest is the heart hands emoji 🫶, where the thumbs and fingers form the heart shape rather than holding it. This gesture sends love, gratitude or support without a separate object. If you want a heart being given or received, the red heart ❤️ or love letter 💌 emoji often work better in a message. In text, 🫶 frequently appears at the end of a message as a warm sign-off, similar to a hug or kiss emoji.
Chat examples
Real messages with 🫶, and a reply that fits.
thank you all 🫶
🫶🫶
sending love 🫶
right back 🫶
proud of you 🫶
🥹
Questions people ask
What does 🫶 mean from a girl or a guy?
Affection or thanks; it is warm but rarely read as romantic on its own.
Why does the heart hands emoji show as a box?
It was added in Emoji 14.0. Devices with older emoji fonts cannot display it. ❤️ is the universal fallback.
What is the difference between 🫶 and 🫰?
🫶 is two hands forming a heart; 🫰 is one hand with crossed finger and thumb, the finger heart. Both mean love; 🫰 is more playful.
What does 🫶🏽 mean from a girl?
Exactly the same as a plain 🫶. The skin tone modifier does not change the meaning. It still shows affection, gratitude, or encouragement. Whether it is romantic or friendly depends on the rest of the conversation.
Is there an emoji holding a heart?
No, there is no emoji of a hand holding a red heart as a separate object. The heart hands emoji 🫶 shows both hands forming the heart shape itself. If you need a heart being handed over, ❤️ or 💌 work better.
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.
