🛶
Canoe
kə-NOO
Definitions
1
Transportation · Watercraft
Common
A small, narrow boat with pointed ends, propelled by paddles. Used to represent canoeing, kayaking, paddling activities, or water-based adventures.
Often used when discussing outdoor activities, water sports, camping trips, or nature exploration.
Weekend plans: 🛶 + 🏞️ + 🏕️ = perfect getaway!
Instagram caption for outdoor adventure
Just booked our guided 🛶 tour for next month's trip to Canada!
Travel planning message
Represents both recreational boating and traditional indigenous transportation across various cultures.
2
Sports · Recreation
Common
Represents canoeing or kayaking as sporting activities, including competitive racing, whitewater paddling, or recreational paddling.
Used when discussing water sports, outdoor competitions, or Olympic events.
She won gold in the 🛶 sprint finals! So proud!
Sports commentary on social media
Associated with both casual recreation and professional sports, including Olympic canoeing and kayaking events.
Evolution Timeline
2016
Added to Unicode 9.0 as part of water transportation emoji expansion.
Growing interest in representing outdoor activities and water sports.
2018
Usage increased with rising popularity of outdoor adventure content on Instagram.
Social media trend toward showcasing wilderness experiences and nature exploration.
Cultural Context
The canoe has deep cultural significance for many indigenous peoples across North America, Oceania, and other regions as traditional transportation and fishing vessels.
In Western countries, canoeing has transformed from essential transportation to recreational activity associated with leisure, privilege, and outdoor lifestyle aesthetics.
In Canada, the canoe is considered a national symbol, representing the country's wilderness identity and historical development.
Regional Variations
Canada
Holds cultural significance as a symbol of Canadian heritage and wilderness identity.
United States
Often associated with summer camp activities, lake vacations, and recreational paddling in national parks.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Used practically to indicate canoeing activities, family vacations, and outdoor hobbies.
Gen_Z: Used in outdoor adventure content, summer activity posts, and camp experiences. Often paired with nature emojis on TikTok and Instagram.
Older: Less frequently used, but appears in family activity discussions and vacation planning contexts.
Millennials: Frequently used to represent weekend getaways, outdoor recreation, and bucket list experiences in travel planning.
Common Combinations
🛶🏞️
Canoeing on a river or lake in scenic natural settings.
Represents outdoor adventure tourism and nature appreciation.
🛶🌊
Whitewater canoeing or challenging water conditions.
Used for adventure sports and thrill-seeking activities.
🛶🏕️
Canoe camping or wilderness trip involving paddling.
Popular in outdoor recreation communities.