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Hamburger
HAM-bur-gษr
Definitions
1
Food ยท Fast Food
Very Common
Represents a hamburger or cheeseburger, consisting of a beef patty between two buns with various toppings. Used to indicate hunger, fast food, American cuisine, or casual dining.
Often used when discussing meals, expressing hunger, or planning to eat out. Frequently appears in food-related conversations.
I'm starving, thinking about getting a ๐ for lunch.
Text message
Friday night plans: ๐ + ๐ + ๐ฌ
Social media post
Just tried that new burger place downtown ๐๐
Instagram caption
Symbolizes American food culture and the global spread of fast food. Often associated with indulgence, convenience, and casual dining.
2
Food ยท Indulgence
Common
Symbolizes unhealthy eating, indulgence, or breaking a diet. Used to express giving in to food cravings or celebrating a cheat day.
Often paired with expressions of guilt or pleasure when discussing dietary choices.
Diet starts tomorrow... ๐๐ฆ๐
Social media post
After a week of salads, I deserve this ๐
Photo caption
Reflects contemporary diet culture and the tension between health consciousness and food pleasure.
Evolution Timeline
2010
Introduced in early emoji sets, representing the growing global popularity of American fast food.
Rising international presence of American fast food chains
2017
The 'Hamburger Emoji Debate' erupted over cheese placement in Google vs. Apple versions.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai promised to fix their version after social media outcry
2019
Increasingly used in plant-based food conversations as meat alternatives gained popularity.
Rise of Impossible and Beyond Meat burgers in mainstream restaurants
Cultural Context
The hamburger symbolizes American cultural influence worldwide, representing both the appeal and criticism of globalization and fast food culture.
Despite its name suggesting German origins (Hamburg), the hamburger as we know it developed in America and became an icon of American food culture in the 20th century.
The hamburger emoji sparked one of the most famous emoji design debates in 2017 when users noticed Google placed the cheese below the patty while Apple placed it above.
For older generations, the hamburger represents classic Americana, while younger users may associate it with both indulgence and environmental/ethical concerns about meat consumption.
Regional Variations
Australia
Often used to refer to beef burgers with beetroot, a distinctive Australian addition.
United Kingdom
Often distinguished from 'proper burgers' at gastropubs versus American-style fast food.
United States
Strongly associated with American identity and culture. Often used to reference specific fast food chains like McDonald's or In-N-Out.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Typically used literally to indicate food preferences or meal plans. Common in family chat groups when discussing dinner options.
Gen_Z: Often used ironically in diet contexts or to reference fast food culture memes. Frequently appears in TikTok food challenges and mukbang content.
Older: Used sparingly, mainly to indicate actual hamburgers in meal discussions or to reference classic American diners and cookouts.
Millennials: Used when sharing food experiences on Instagram or discussing cheat days. Often appears in food delivery app discussions.
Common Combinations
๐๐
Fast food meal, typically hamburger and fries
Represents the classic American fast food combination, often implying takeout or casual dining
๐๐
Enjoying a delicious burger or craving one
Expresses food pleasure and satisfaction, often used when posting food photos
๐๐ฅค
Complete fast food meal with drink
Represents a value meal or combo meal from a fast food restaurant
๐๐ฅ
Amazing or spicy burger
Indicates either a particularly good burger or a spicy one, depending on context
๐๐
Burger King reference or the 'king of burgers'
Either directly references the Burger King chain or indicates a superior burger