Stamp emoji ๐ฎ
Some people call it the stamp emoji, but officially it's the postbox emoji ๐ฎ โ a public mailbox for dropping off letters. Find out what it means, how to use it, and how it compares with other mail symbols.
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How people use the postbox emoji
The postbox emoji ๐ฎ is officially named โpostboxโ and sits in the Objects โ Mail category alongside other mail symbols. People use it to talk about sending letters, postcards, or parcels through the post. It works as a verb: โIโll pop it in the postbox tomorrow.โ It can also stand for the postal service in general, or a trip to the post office.
Itโs also used metaphorically for delivery in general โ โYour package is on its way ๐ฎโ or โJust submitted the report ๐ฎโ.
- Sending physical mail: โIโll mail the contract tomorrow ๐ฎโ
- Confirming a digital send: โEmail is out ๐ฎโ
- As a visual stand-in for โpost officeโ or โsnail mailโ
- Indicating that something has been dropped off or submitted
Similar mail emojis and how they differ
The postbox emoji sits alongside several other mail-related characters. The mailbox emojis ๐ซ๐ช๐ฌ๐ญ show domestic postboxes, often with a flag that indicates outgoing mail. They are the ones you might find at a house or on a street corner. The email emoji ๐ง is an envelope with an @ symbol, used exclusively for electronic mail. The package emoji ๐ฆ represents a parcel or box being sent, while the inbox tray emoji ๐ฅ means incoming messages. The outbox tray emoji ๐ค conversely shows outgoing items.
The postbox ๐ฎ is different because it is a public collection point, not a personal mailbox. Think of it as a street-side collection box where anyone can drop off mail, while the home mailbox ๐ซ sits at your door. In digital contexts, the postbox sometimes stands for โsendingโ in a more general, somewhat old-fashioned way.
Compare the main mail emojis below to pick the right one for your message.
Compare postbox with similar emoji
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| postboxU+1F4EE | Public mailbox for dropping off letters | |
| envelopeU+2709 U+FE0F | Sealed letter, general mail symbol | |
| e-mailU+1F4E7 | Envelope with @ sign, for electronic mail | |
| incoming envelopeU+1F4E8 | Letter being received | |
| packageU+1F4E6 | Parcel or box being sent | |
| closed mailbox with raised flagU+1F4EB | Home mailbox with outgoing mail flag up |
Copying and typing the postbox emoji
You can copy the character from the top of this page. On desktop, use the built-in emoji picker (Windows key + . on Windows, Control + Command + Space on Mac).
Because the postbox emoji has been part of the emoji set since early versions, it displays on virtually every device and app, so you wonโt run into missing character boxes.
You can also use it in combination with other mail emojis to tell a small story. For example, โ๏ธ๐ฎ shows a letter being dropped into a postbox, and ๐ฎ๐ฆ shows a parcel being shipped. Some people pair it with the airplane emoji โ๏ธ to indicate airmail.
Questions people ask
Is the postbox emoji a stamp?
No, the postbox emoji ๐ฎ shows a mailbox, not a postage stamp. There is no dedicated stamp emoji in the current Unicode set.
What does the postbox emoji mean?
It means sending or receiving mail, or metaphorically delivering something. It can also signal that a message has been sent or that something is on its way.
How is it different from the mailbox emoji?
The postbox emoji ๐ฎ typically shows a public collection box, while the mailbox emojis ๐ซ๐ช๐ฌ๐ญ show domestic postboxes with a flag to indicate outgoing mail.
Can I use the postbox emoji for email?
You can, but the email emoji ๐ง is more specific for electronic mail. The postbox often implies physical mail or a traditional sense of sending, so it may not always fit a digital context.
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.
