Services emoji 🈂️
The service charge emoji 🈂️ shows the katakana サ (sa) in a blue square. It’s officially called the Japanese “service charge” button.
Published · Updated
What the services emoji means
The service charge emoji 🈂️ is officially named the Japanese “service charge” button. It belongs to the Symbols group alongside other squared ideographs and input symbols.
Design and official name
The symbol shows the katakana character サ (sa) in a blue square. The character is the first syllable of サービス (sābisu), the Japanese word for “service”.
Service charge or free of charge?
In Japan, a sign with サ can indicate that a service charge will be added to the final bill.
However, サービス in casual Japanese also means something given free, like a complimentary dish or a discount. So the same button can pop up when someone mentions a freebie. Context tells you which meaning is intended.
The emoji appears most often in Japanese-speaking conversations.
How people use the services emoji
Outside Japan, the emoji is less common, but it can still be useful when you need to talk about an added charge or a surprise freebie.
Common contexts
- Sharing restaurant or hotel reviews that mention a service fee
- Telling friends about a “service” treat that was free, like a free dessert
- Joking about hidden charges or “service” fees in subscription apps
Because the emoji is not very widely used, it usually needs a little context. Pair it with a clear word like “charge” or “free” to avoid confusion.
You might also see it in social media posts from Japan, where it can stand for the word サービス.
Compare Japanese “service charge” button with similar emoji
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese “service charge” buttonU+1F202 U+FE0F | Katakana サ in a blue square; can mean charge or free service. | |
| FREE buttonU+1F193 | Squared word FREE; clearly means no cost. | |
| informationU+2139 U+FE0F | Blue square with an i; points to help or details. | |
| input latin uppercaseU+1F520 | Square with uppercase letters; used for text input options. | |
| input numbersU+1F522 | Square with “123”; used for numeric input. | |
| A button (blood type)U+1F170 U+FE0F | Square with A; used for blood type A. |
How to copy and type the services emoji
Typing it yourself
Open your device’s emoji keyboard and search for “service charge”, “サ”, or “Japanese” to find it quickly.
If you’re using a desktop computer, the emoji picker on Windows (Win + .) or macOS (Ctrl + Cmd + Space) includes a search box where you can type the same terms.
There is no simple keyboard shortcut that types 🈂️ directly, so copying is usually faster.
Similar emoji to the services emoji
The service charge emoji belongs to the alphanumeric symbols in Unicode’s Symbols group. Several other squared buttons share a similar style and are often seen in chat.
The FREE button emoji 🆓 shows the word FREE and is a clearer choice when you mean something costs nothing.
The information emoji ℹ️ is a blue square with a white “i”, typically used to point to help text or details.
The Japanese “here” button 🈁 uses the katakana コ (ko) and marks a location or a “here” sign. Both are part of the Japanese button set.
Questions people ask
What does the service charge emoji 🈂️ mean?
It's the Japanese “service charge” button, showing the katakana サ (sa), which starts the word サービス, meaning “service”. In Japan, it can indicate an added service charge, but it can also be used casually to mean “free of charge”.
Is the service charge emoji the same as the FREE button emoji?
No. The FREE button emoji 🆓 shows the word FREE and always means no cost. The service charge emoji 🈂️ can mean a service charge or a freebie depending on the context in Japan.
What is the letter inside the service charge emoji?
It's the Japanese katakana character サ (sa), the first character of サービス (sābisu).
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.
