Thong emoji 🩴

What the thong emoji means

The thong emoji 🩴 shows a flat sandal with a V-shaped strap, the kind most often called a flip-flop in the UK and US. It’s the go-to symbol for summer, beach trips and easygoing holiday vibes.

Officially named thong sandal, the character is part of the clothing group. It’s the only dedicated flip-flop emoji, so when someone sends 🩴 they’re usually talking about warm weather, casual footwear or just feeling relaxed.

The word thong has more than one meaning. In Australian and some other English, it usually means this sandal; in the UK and US, a thong more often refers to a style of underwear. The emoji itself is unambiguously the sandal, but context around it can be playful.

In Australian English, thongs is the everyday word for flip-flops, so the emoji carries an extra layer of familiarity there.

How people use the thong emoji

In messages, 🩴 appears most often in summer plans. A friend might text “Packing for Greece 🩴🕶️” or “Beach day tomorrow 🩴☀️” to signal they’re switching into holiday mode.

It’s also a common reaction to overly relaxed or lazy situations. A picture of someone lounging with their feet up might get a 🩴 reply meaning “living the easy life”.

The emoji is sometimes paired with other warm-weather items like the sunglasses emoji or beach emoji. It rarely appears in formal or work contexts, unless someone is joking about dress-down Friday.

You’ll also see it in captions about pedicures, pool days or anything that involves kicking your shoes off. The vibe is light, unbothered and warm.

When someone sends 🩴 on its own, it often works as a shorthand for “beach time” or “summer mode activated” without needing further explanation.

Compare thong sandal with similar emoji

Emoji	Name	Notes
	thong sandalU+1FA74	Open summer footwear with a Y-shaped strap, the most casual of the set.
	socksU+1F9E6	Worn on feet inside shoes or around the house, associated with cosiness and comfort.
	glovesU+1F9E4	Hand coverings for cold weather or formal occasions, the opposite season from sandals.
	scarfU+1F9E3	Neckwear for warmth, usually paired with winter outfits.
	jeansU+1F456	Casual trousers worn year-round, a step up in formality from beach sandals.
	t-shirtU+1F455	Everyday top that often appears alongside sandals in summer outfits.

Thong sandal emoji vs the sandal emoji

If you’re comparing 🩴 with the separate sandal emoji 👡, the difference is in the strap. The thong sandal has the classic Y-shaped strap between the toes, while 👡 is a woman’s sandal with a heel and a more decorated look.

Both can signal summer, but 👡 is slightly more dressed up. 🩴 is strictly casual, the kind of shoe you wear to the pool or the corner shop, not to a garden party.

There’s no separate “flip flop emoji” in the standard set. The thong sandal is the character people use for that idea, and it’s often called the flip-flop emoji in everyday speech.

Copying the thong emoji

To copy the thong sandal emoji, just click or tap the 🩴 character on this page. It works on all modern devices, although the exact appearance varies by platform.

On a phone, you can also find it by opening the emoji keyboard and searching for “sandal”, “thong” or “flip-flop”. On a desktop, the built-in emoji picker usually brings it up with those same terms.

It appears in the objects or clothing categories in most emoji keyboards, often alongside other summer footwear. This is the quickest way to add it to a message without leaving your keyboard.

Questions people ask