Ninja emoji
🥷 is stealth and sneakiness. Copy it here in any skin tone.
Published · Updated
What the ninja emoji means
🥷 (ninja, Emoji 13.0) is a masked figure in black, and it means stealth: sneaking, “ninja’d” (beaten to something), quiet efficiency, and the closest thing to a robber, as the robber emoji guide explains. It has five skin tones. It also stands in for the martial-arts and gaming senses of ninja, with ⚔️ 🗡️ 🥋.
Unicode name: ninja · U+1F977 · Emoji 13.0 (2020) · group: People & Body.
How people use it
- Stealth: quiet exits, sneaky snacks
- Ninja’d: “you beat me to it 🥷”
- Robber stand-in: 🥷💰
- Gaming and martial arts: 🥷⚔️
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ninjaU+1F977 | Ninja; stealth | Newer; may not render | |
| supervillainU+1F9B9 | Masked bad guy | ||
| crossed swords / daggerU+2694 U+FE0F · U+1F5E1 U+FE0F | Swords | See the sword emoji guide | |
| new moonU+1F311 | Darkness | See the moon emoji guide |
Skin tones for the ninja emoji
The ninja emoji comes in six styles: the default yellow and five skin tones. The skin tone versions 🥷🏻 🥷🏼 🥷🏽 🥷🏾 🥷🏿 all mean exactly the same thing as the base 🥷 — stealth, sneakiness or a quick disappearance — but let you match the emoji to yourself or the person you’re describing.
- Light skin tone: 🥷🏻
- Medium-light skin tone: 🥷🏼
- Medium skin tone: 🥷🏽
- Medium-dark skin tone: 🥷🏾
- Dark skin tone: 🥷🏿
Skin tone versions work well in gaming chats, sneaky exit stories and playful “you didn’t see me” messages. They don’t carry separate meanings; the skin tone only changes the appearance.
Chat examples
Real messages with 🥷, and a reply that fits.
stealth mode 🥷
🥷
🥷 in and out
impressive
🥷 left without a trace
ninja
Questions people ask
What does 🥷 mean?
A ninja: stealth, sneakiness or a quick disappearance. It is also used where people expect a robber emoji.
Why can’t I see the ninja emoji?
It was added in Emoji 13.0 (2020); older devices show a box.
What do the different skin tones of 🥷 mean?
The skin tones are purely cosmetic. Choose whichever one matches the person or character you have in mind; the ninja meaning doesn’t change.
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.
