Sick emoji
Fever, sneeze, mask or bandage: the sick emoji for every kind of unwell. Copy them here.
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What the sick emoji means
The sick emoji cover different illnesses. 🤒 (face with thermometer) is a fever or feeling unwell generally. 🤧 (sneezing face) is a cold or allergies. 😷 (face with medical mask) is being careful, contagious or, since 2020, just outside. 🤕 (face with head-bandage) is an injury. 🤢 and 🤮 are nausea and belong in the disgusted emoji guide; 🥴 (woozy face) is dizzy, drunk or feverish.
Unicode name: face with thermometer · U+1F912 · Emoji 1.0 (2015) · group: Smileys & Emotion.
How people use it
- Calling in sick: 🤒
- Colds and allergies: 🤧
- Masks and caution: 😷
- Injuries: 🤕
- Hangovers: 🥴 — see the confused emoji guide
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| face with thermometerU+1F912 | Fever, unwell | The general “sick” | |
| sneezing faceU+1F927 | Sneezing, cold, allergies | Seasonal | |
| face with medical maskU+1F637 | Mask; contagious, careful | Also just “outside” | |
| face with head-bandageU+1F915 | Injured | Bandage | |
| nauseated face / face vomitingU+1F922 · U+1F92E | Nauseous, vomiting | See the disgusted guide |
The hurt emoji: 🤕 when you’re injured
When you’re actually hurt — a cut, a bruise, a sprained ankle — 🤕 is the clearest choice. It shows a face with a head bandage, so it works for any injury, not just head wounds. People often pair it with a message about what happened, or use it on its own to mean “that hurt”.
You can also send 🤕 when something left you feeling bruised emotionally — a snub, a let-down, or a rough moment. The bandage works as a metaphor: you’re not physically hurt, but the sting is real.
Chat examples
Real messages with 🤒, and a reply that fits.
off sick today 🤒
get well soon
🤧 hay fever
same
🤕 fell off the bike
ouch, ok?
Questions people ask
Which emoji means sick?
🤒 for a fever or feeling ill, 🤧 for a cold, 🤢 for nausea.
What does 😷 mean?
Wearing a medical mask: being ill and considerate, or protecting yourself. Since 2020 it also simply means being out in public.
What is the puke emoji?
The puke emoji is usually 🤮 (face vomiting) for throwing up. If you feel sick without vomiting, 🤢 (nauseated face) is the better fit.
Which emoji shows being sick?
For general sickness, use 🤒 (face with thermometer) for fever, 🤧 (sneezing face) for colds, 🤢 (nauseated face) for nausea, and 🤮 (face vomiting) for throwing up.
Which emoji is the nauseous emoji?
The nauseous emoji is 🤢, officially called nauseated face. It shows a green face with a queasy expression and is used to say you feel sick to your stomach or that something is disgusting. For actually throwing up, people use 🤮.
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.
