🪨
Rock
rɒk
Definitions
1
Nature · Geological
Common
A solid mineral material forming part of the earth's surface or crust. Used to represent stones, boulders, or geological formations in natural contexts.
Commonly used in outdoor, nature, or geology discussions. Often appears in travel or hiking contexts.
Just climbed to the top of this massive 🪨 - amazing views!
Instagram hiking post
Collected some beautiful 🪨 specimens on our geology field trip today.
Educational group chat
Symbolizes stability, strength, and permanence across many cultures.
2
Metaphorical · Strength
Common
Represents metaphorical solidity, reliability, or emotional strength. Used to indicate something or someone that is dependable or unmovable.
Often used in motivational contexts or to describe someone's character.
You've been my 🪨 through this difficult time. Thank you.
Personal message
In Western cultures, being 'solid as a rock' is a common expression for reliability.
Cultural Context
Rocks have symbolized permanence and stability across human cultures for millennia, appearing in religious texts, mythology, and art as metaphors for strength and endurance.
The phrase 'solid as a rock' influences how this emoji is used metaphorically to represent reliability or emotional strength in difficult times.
Added to Unicode in 2020 (Emoji 13.0), filling a gap in nature-themed emojis between mountain and stone representations.
Regional Variations
Australia
Often references Uluru/Ayers Rock, an iconic Australian landmark.
United States
Often associated with outdoor activities like rock climbing, hiking, and national parks.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Used practically to indicate actual rocks, geological features, or in gardening/landscaping contexts.
Gen_Z: Used in outdoor activity posts, climbing culture, and occasionally in meme contexts about 'pet rocks' or geology jokes.
Older: Less frequently used, but appears in nature photography contexts or literal descriptions of landscapes.
Millennials: Common in hiking photos, travel content, and as metaphors for emotional support in personal messages.
Common Combinations
🪨🌊
Coastal scenery, shorelines, or the meeting of land and sea.
Used in travel photography contexts to show beach landscapes with rocky features.
🪨🧗
Rock climbing or bouldering activities.
Popular in outdoor sports communities to indicate climbing adventures.
🪨💎
Transformation, potential, or the journey from raw material to something valuable.
Often used in motivational or self-improvement contexts.