Homework emoji 📝

What the homework emoji means

The homework emoji 📝 is a picture of a lined notepad with a pencil, and it’s the standard symbol for writing, studying and getting things down on paper. People use it to talk about homework, assignments, revision and any kind of note-taking. It can also signal a to-do list or a reminder that something needs to be written down. The official Unicode name is memo, but it is often called the homework emoji.

In tone, it’s mostly neutral and studious. You might see it paired with the book emoji or pencil emoji to reinforce the school or writing mood. It rarely carries sarcasm on its own, though adding a tired face can turn it into a mild complaint about workload. Some people also use it to mean “I’m taking notes” or “I’ll remember that” in a chat, especially when listening to meetings or lectures.

How people use the homework emoji

The most common use is exactly what it looks like: homework and study talk. Students send it when discussing essays, problem sets or exam prep. It also works for work projects, meeting notes or personal planning. The sticky note emoji 🗒️ (technically “spiral notepad”) covers a similar job, but the memo emoji feels more active—there’s a pencil involved.

If someone says “I need to take notes on this meeting,” they might add 📝 to show they’re being attentive. It’s also used as a quick way to say “noted” or “I’ll write that down” in a chat. In professional settings, it can signal that you’re documenting action items or keeping minutes.

Compare memo with similar emoji

Emoji	Name	Notes
	memoU+1F4DD	Lined notepad with pencil; the standard homework and note-taking emoji
	pencilU+270F U+FE0F	A pencil; used for drafting and writing, often without paper
	black nibU+2712 U+FE0F	A black pen nib; a writing instrument tip
	fountain penU+1F58B U+FE0F	A fountain pen with a nib
	penU+1F58A U+FE0F	A pen; general writing instrument
	eraserU+1FA8C	An eraser; used for correcting mistakes

How the homework emoji looks on different platforms

Designs vary across platforms, but the emoji usually shows a notepad with a pencil. Some versions use a yellow pencil on lined paper, while others are simpler. Despite the visual differences, the meaning stays consistent across devices.

It is widely supported and displays correctly on nearly all modern devices. On most keyboards you can find it by searching “memo”, “homework” or “note”. It sits alongside other writing tools like the pen emoji and paintbrush emoji in the objects category.

How to copy and type the homework emoji

On phones, open the emoji keyboard and look under the objects or smileys category, or search for “memo”. See our emoji keyboard shortcuts page for more details.

If you use a physical keyboard, typing the word “memo” in an emoji picker usually brings it up. Some apps also convert the text shortcut “:memo:” into the emoji, a feature common in chat platforms like Slack and Discord. You can also set up a text replacement on your phone so that typing “hw” automatically inserts 📝.

Questions people ask