🅾️
O Button (Blood Type)
oh buht-uhn
Definitions
1
Medical · Health
Common
Represents blood type O, often used in medical contexts to indicate blood type or donation needs. The encircled letter is styled after emergency signage.
Primarily used in health-related discussions, blood donation drives, or medical emergencies.
The hospital needs 🅾️ donors urgently after the accident.
Emergency blood donation request
Just found out I'm 🅾️ positive! #BloodDonor
Social media post about blood type
Blood type O is known as the 'universal donor' as O-negative can be given to any recipient regardless of their blood type.
2
Symbol · Communication
Uncommon
Used as a stylized letter O in casual communication, often for emphasis or visual distinctiveness rather than its blood type meaning.
Sometimes used decoratively in usernames, headlines, or for emphasis in text.
G🅾️🅾️D M🅾️RNING EVERYONE!
Social media emphasis
Part of a set of letter buttons (🅰️, 🅱️, 🅾️, etc.) that originated from Japanese blood type indicators but have taken on broader usage.
Evolution Timeline
2010
Initially introduced as part of Unicode 6.0 primarily for its Japanese blood type significance.
Growing internationalization of emoji sets from Japanese origins
2016
Began appearing in stylized text and usernames beyond its medical meaning.
Internet culture adopting symbolic characters for aesthetic purposes
Cultural Context
Blood type O is medically significant as O-negative is the universal donor type that can be given to any recipient in emergencies.
In East Asian countries, particularly Japan and Korea, blood types are commonly discussed as personality indicators, similar to Western astrological signs.
Part of a set of enclosed alphanumeric symbols that originated in Japanese mobile phone culture before being incorporated into Unicode.
Regional Variations
Japan
In Japan, blood type is culturally significant and often discussed in relation to personality traits, similar to Western zodiac signs.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Generally used only in its literal blood type context, particularly in health-related discussions.
Gen_Z: Occasionally used stylistically in usernames or for emphasis in text, sometimes divorced from its blood type meaning.
Older: Limited usage, primarily in medical contexts when discussing blood donation or transfusion needs.
Millennials: Primarily used in its intended medical context, occasionally for emphasis in social media posts.
Common Combinations
🅾️➕
O-positive blood type
Used in medical contexts to specify blood type with positive Rh factor
🅾️➖
O-negative blood type
Indicates universal donor blood type, critical in emergency situations
🅰️🅱️🅾️
Blood types or blood type compatibility
Used in medical discussions or blood donation campaigns