π
Heart With Arrow
hahrt with AR-oh
Definitions
1
Emotion Β· Romance
Very Common
Represents being struck by love or Cupid's arrow; indicates romantic love, infatuation, or having a crush on someone. Often used to express passionate romantic feelings.
Commonly used in romantic messages, Valentine's Day greetings, and when discussing new relationships or crushes.
I think I'm falling for him π
Text message to friend
Happy Valentine's Day to my soulmate π
Instagram caption
The moment I saw her, it was π
Dating app message
Associated with Cupid, the Roman god of desire, who shoots arrows to make people fall in love. Modern symbol of being 'lovestruck.'
2
Emotion Β· Infatuation
Common
Expresses sudden, intense attraction or infatuation, often used to describe the feeling of love at first sight or being completely smitten with someone.
Frequently used when discussing new crushes, celebrity infatuations, or describing overwhelming romantic feelings.
That new actor in the Netflix show π I can't even
Social media comment
When he remembered my coffee order π
TikTok caption
The pierced heart symbolizes being emotionally vulnerable or 'hit' by intense feelings that penetrate one's defenses.
Evolution Timeline
2010
Introduced in Unicode 6.0 as one of the original heart emojis.
Growing popularity of emoji use in romantic digital communication.
2014
Gained popularity with the rise of dating apps like Tinder and Bumble.
Online dating culture normalized expressing romantic interest through emojis.
2018
Evolved to express more casual 'crushes' rather than deep romantic love.
Shifting youth culture around expressing romantic feelings digitally.
Cultural Context
The heart pierced by an arrow derives from classical mythology featuring Cupid/Eros, whose arrows made people fall in love, symbolizing love's ability to 'wound' or penetrate emotional defenses.
Represents the concept of 'love at first sight' or being unexpectedly struck by romantic feelings, reflecting cultural narratives about the sudden, uncontrollable nature of attraction.
Younger users often employ this emoji to indicate crushes or attraction, while older generations may associate it more specifically with Valentine's Day or traditional romantic symbolism.
The visual metaphor of being 'struck by love' or 'lovestruck' is consistent across many languages and cultures, making this emoji relatively universal in its interpretation.
Regional Variations
Australia
Used in romantic contexts but often with a more casual, laid-back tone.
United Kingdom
Used similarly to the US, but with slightly more ironic or humorous undertones in certain contexts.
United States
Commonly used in Valentine's Day contexts and to express romantic interest, especially among younger users.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Less frequently used, but employed in romantic contexts, particularly around Valentine's Day or anniversaries.
Gen_Z: Used frequently for crushes and attractions, often in a casual or sometimes ironic context. Popular on TikTok and Instagram.
Older: Limited usage, primarily in holiday messages or communications with younger family members.
Millennials: Used more sincerely to express romantic feelings or in Valentine's Day messages. Common in dating app communications.
Common Combinations
ππ
Completely lovestruck or infatuated with someone.
Common combination expressing intense romantic attraction, often used when discussing crushes.
πβ€οΈ
Being hit by true love; intense romantic feelings.
Used to emphasize the intensity of romantic feelings, especially in new relationships.
ππ
Falling head over heels in love or having strong affection.
Often used in Valentine's Day messages or when describing new romantic interests.
ππ₯
Passionate, intense romantic or sexual attraction.
Suggests a fiery, passionate crush or attraction rather than sweet, tender feelings.
πβ¨
Magical or special romantic connection; love at first sight.
Suggests a magical or fairytale-like quality to romantic feelings.
Related Emojis
β€οΈ
Standard heart representing love without the 'struck' element
π
Two hearts representing affection, often used in similar romantic contexts
π
Heart-eyes face, often paired with heart with arrow to express infatuation
π
Beating heart, representing similar feelings of excitement in love
πΉ
Bow and arrow, associated with Cupid, the source of the arrow in the heart