🧍♀️
Woman Standing
WOO-mən STAN-ding
Definitions
1
People · Posture
Common
Depicts a woman standing upright in a neutral, vertical position. Used to represent waiting, standing in place, or maintaining a stationary posture.
Often used to indicate waiting, being in a queue, or standing idle. Can represent physical presence or attention.
Been 🧍♀️ in this line for 30 minutes already!
Social media complaint
Me 🧍♀️ watching everyone else having fun at the party
TikTok caption
Frequently used to represent waiting patiently, standing in line, or being present but inactive.
2
Emotion · Awkwardness
Emerging
Represents feeling awkward, left out, or not knowing what to do in a social situation. Conveys a sense of social discomfort or uncertainty.
Popular among younger users to express feeling socially awkward or out of place.
When everyone's talking about their relationship and I'm just 🧍♀️
Instagram story
Emerged around 2020-2021 as Gen Z slang to represent awkwardness, particularly on TikTok and Twitter.
Evolution Timeline
2019
Introduced in Unicode 12.0 as gender variant of the 'person standing' emoji.
Part of ongoing efforts to provide gender-inclusive emoji options.
2020
Began to be used to represent awkwardness or feeling out of place on social media.
TikTok trends popularized using the emoji to express social discomfort.
2021
Solidified as Gen Z shorthand for feeling awkward or left out in group situations.
Widespread adoption in meme culture across platforms.
Cultural Context
Gen Z adopted this emoji to express feeling awkward or out of place, giving it meaning beyond its literal representation of standing.
The emoji's popularity for expressing awkwardness reflects digital culture's tendency to repurpose simple symbols for complex emotional states.
In British contexts, this emoji often references queuing culture, while in American usage it more commonly represents social awkwardness.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Often used to represent queuing, a culturally significant activity in British society.
United States
Commonly used to express awkwardness or feeling out of place, especially among teenagers and young adults.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Primarily used literally to represent standing or waiting. May use in family chats to indicate they're waiting for someone.
Gen_Z: Frequently used to express feeling awkward, left out, or not knowing what to do in social situations. Common in memes and TikTok content.
Older: Limited usage, mostly literal when used. May use to indicate standing in line or waiting for an appointment.
Millennials: More likely to use literally to indicate waiting or standing. Slower to adopt the awkwardness meaning popular with younger users.
Common Combinations
🧍♀️⏰
Waiting for a long time or being impatient about waiting.
Used to express frustration with delays or long waits in various situations.
🧍♀️🧍♀️🧍♀️
Standing in a queue or line of people.
Represents waiting in line, particularly common in British contexts referring to queuing culture.
🧍♀️👀
Awkwardly observing or witnessing something uncomfortable.
Often used in reaction to drama or awkward situations online.
🧍♀️💭
Standing while deep in thought or contemplation.
Represents someone physically present but mentally elsewhere.