Nod emoji
Yes, there is a nod emoji: 🙂↕️, added in Emoji 15.1. Copy it and its head-shake twin 🙂↔️ here, and see why they may show as two symbols.
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Yes, there is a nod emoji now
For years there was no way to nod in emoji, and people asked for one constantly. Emoji 15.1 (2023) answered with two new sequences: 🙂↕️ (head shaking vertically), a nod meaning yes, and 🙂↔️ (head shaking horizontally), a shake meaning no. Both are built from the slightly smiling face 🙂 joined to an arrow with a zero-width joiner, which is why they are listed under 15.1 rather than as brand-new characters, and why an older device shows them as a smiley followed by an arrow.
On platforms that support them the faces are animated or drawn mid-motion. They fill the gap between the thumbs up (approval) and words: a nod is “I hear you”, “yes, go on”, agreement without enthusiasm. The head shake is a polite no, gentler than ❌ or 👎.
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| head shaking verticallyU+1F642 U+200D U+2195 U+FE0F | Nod: yes, “I hear you”, agreement | Emoji 15.1; older devices split it into 🙂 and ↕️ | |
| head shaking horizontallyU+1F642 U+200D U+2194 U+FE0F | Head shake: no, “not that” | Same caveat | |
| thumbs upU+1F44D | Approval, done | Displays everywhere | |
| slightly smiling faceU+1F642 | A plain smile, sometimes passive-aggressive | See the smile emoji guide | |
| saluting faceU+1FAE1 | “On it” | See the salute emoji guide |
Using the nod
- Acknowledging: reply 🙂↕️ to “I’ll be ten minutes late”.
- Agreeing quietly: to an opinion you share but do not want to amplify.
- Declining gently: 🙂↔️ to “want the last slice?”
- Check support: if you see 🙂↕️ as two symbols, the other person will too; use 👍 or words instead.
Chat examples
Real messages with 🙂↕️, and a reply that fits.
see you at 6? 🙂↕️
yes
🙂↕️ agreed
great
🙂↔️ not this time
ok
Questions people ask
Is there a nodding emoji?
Yes: 🙂↕️ head shaking vertically, added in Emoji 15.1 (2023). Its twin 🙂↔️ shakes side to side for “no”.
Why does the nod emoji show as a smiley and an arrow?
It is a joined sequence (🙂 + ZWJ + ↕️). Devices without Emoji 15.1 support display the parts separately.
How do I type the nod emoji?
Search “head shaking” in an up-to-date emoji keyboard, or copy it from this page.
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.
