🪑
Chair
chɛər
Definitions
1
Objects · Furniture
Common
A piece of furniture designed for one person to sit on, typically with a back and four legs. Used to represent seating, furniture, or waiting.
Often used literally to indicate seating arrangements or furniture discussions, but can also symbolize waiting or being seated.
Just bought a new desk and 🪑 for my home office!
Social media post
Waiting for the interview 🪑 nervous!
Text message
In digital communication, frequently represents casual conversations, classroom settings, or office environments.
2
Metaphorical · Position
Uncommon
Symbolizes a position of authority, responsibility, or leadership role in an organization or committee.
Used in professional contexts to indicate leadership positions or committee roles.
Proud to announce I'll be the 🪑 of the community fundraising committee this year!
Professional announcement
The chair metaphor for leadership positions originated from the physical seat given to meeting leaders or committee heads.
Cultural Context
The chair emoji was added to Unicode 12.0 in 2019, relatively late compared to other furniture items, despite chairs being fundamental objects in human living spaces.
The metaphorical use of 'chair' to indicate leadership positions (e.g., 'committee chair') is reflected in some professional emoji usage contexts.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Similar to US usage but more commonly appears in formal committee contexts.
United States
Often used in reference to classroom settings, office meetings, or home furniture discussions.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Typically used literally to represent furniture or seating arrangements in practical contexts.
Gen_Z: Often used in school/college contexts or in memes about sitting/waiting. Sometimes used ironically in phrases like 'take a seat'.
Older: Less frequently used, but when employed, almost exclusively represents literal chairs or formal meeting contexts.
Millennials: Commonly used when discussing home decor, office setups, or in work-from-home contexts.
Common Combinations
🪑💻
Working from home or at a desk
Gained popularity during pandemic remote work trends
🪑🍽️
Dining table setup or dinner invitation
Used for meal preparations or restaurant reservations
🪑⏰
Waiting or being on standby
Represents patience or anticipation in waiting rooms or queues