🩸
Drop of Blood
drɒp ʌv blʌd
Definitions
1
Medical · Health
Common
Represents blood in a medical or health context, such as blood donation, medical tests, or injuries.
Used in health discussions, first aid contexts, or when discussing medical procedures.
Just finished my blood donation! 🩸 Feels good to help others.
Social media post about blood donation
Got my lab results back today 🩸 All looking normal!
Health update on messaging app
Generally viewed as a clinical representation rather than violent, though context matters.
2
Body · Menstruation
Common
Represents menstruation or period blood, often used in discussions about menstrual cycles.
Used to discuss periods, menstrual products, or reproductive health.
My period app just sent a notification 🩸 Right on schedule this month.
Personal message about menstruation
Anyone else get terrible cramps during their 🩸 week?
Online forum discussion
Part of the movement to reduce stigma around menstruation through open digital communication.
3
Symbolic · Intensity
Uncommon
Used metaphorically to represent intensity, passion, or dedication to something.
Often appears in creative contexts or to emphasize commitment.
Put my blood, sweat and tears into this project 💪🩸
Social media caption about hard work
The metaphorical use draws on blood's association with life force and vital energy.
Evolution Timeline
2019
Introduction in Unicode 12.0 as part of increased focus on medical and menstruation emojis.
Advocacy for period representation in emoji set
2020
Gained prominence during COVID-19 pandemic in discussions about antibody testing and plasma donation.
Global health crisis increasing medical discussions online
2021
Became more widely used in menstrual health activism and period poverty awareness campaigns.
Growing movement to destigmatize menstruation conversations
Cultural Context
The drop of blood emoji emerged amid growing activism to destigmatize menstruation and increase representation of women's health issues in digital communication.
While blood can symbolize violence in some contexts, this emoji's droplet form typically conveys medical or health meanings rather than injury or harm.
Prior to this emoji's introduction in 2019, users had to use red circle 🔴 or red heart ❤️ as substitutes when discussing blood or periods.
Part of Unicode's effort to include more healthcare-related emojis, alongside stethoscope, microbe, and other medical symbols.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Commonly used in NHS blood donation messaging and period poverty discussions.
United States
More commonly used in health awareness campaigns and menstrual activism contexts.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: More likely to use in private health discussions or medical contexts rather than public posts about menstruation.
Gen_Z: Commonly used to discuss periods openly on TikTok and Instagram, often with humor to normalize menstruation.
Older: Limited usage, primarily in medical contexts or family health discussions rather than public social media.
Millennials: Used in health tracking apps and in discussions about blood donation, medical testing, and menstrual health advocacy.
Common Combinations
🩸❤️
Blood donation or love for giving blood
Used to show support for blood donation and transfusion services
🩸💉
Medical blood test or blood donation
Used in healthcare contexts or when discussing medical procedures
🩸🧠
Brain bleed or neurological issues involving blood
Used in medical discussions about strokes or brain injuries
🩸📅
Period tracking or menstrual cycle calendar
Used by women discussing menstrual cycles or period tracking apps