ποΈ
Hand With Fingers Splayed
hand with FIN-gerz SPLAYD
Definitions
1
Gestures Β· Greeting
Very Common
A raised hand with all five fingers spread apart, commonly used as a friendly greeting, to indicate 'stop', or to show readiness to participate.
Often used in casual conversation to say hello, goodbye, or to volunteer information.
I'm here at the conference! ποΈ Who else is attending?
Group chat message
ποΈ Hold up, let me finish explaining before you ask questions.
Work conversation
See you tomorrow! ποΈ
Text message
In many Western cultures, this gesture can signify a high five, while in some contexts it may be used as a 'stop' signal.
2
Gestures Β· Participation
Common
A hand gesture indicating willingness to participate, answer a question, or volunteer for something, similar to raising a hand in class.
Often used in digital spaces to indicate enthusiasm or readiness to contribute.
Who wants to present their project first? ποΈ I'll go!
Student group chat
Looking for volunteers for Saturday's event! ποΈ
Community forum post
Derives from classroom hand-raising tradition, now adapted for digital communication.
Evolution Timeline
2014
Added to Unicode 7.0 as a neutral hand gesture for greetings and acknowledgments.
Growing need for diverse hand gestures in digital communication.
2016
Gained popularity as a volunteering signal in group chats and digital classrooms.
Increase in remote learning and digital collaboration platforms.
2020
Usage surged as virtual meetings replaced in-person interactions during global pandemic.
COVID-19 lockdowns increasing reliance on digital communication.
Cultural Context
The splayed hand emoji bridges formal and casual communication, allowing users to signal attention without seeming overly formal or disruptive.
In digital communication, this gesture has evolved from simply meaning 'stop' to encompass greetings, volunteering, and seeking attention in group settings.
The raised hand with splayed fingers has historical significance in many cultures as a sign of honesty (showing one has nothing to hide) or peaceful intentions.
Gained prominence during the rise of video conferencing, where physical hand-raising needed a digital equivalent for turn-taking and participation.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Commonly used as a wave hello/goodbye or to politely interrupt a conversation.
United States
Often used as a casual greeting or to indicate volunteering. Frequently paired with slang expressions.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Primarily used as a greeting or to politely interrupt in digital conversations. Less frequently used in emoji combinations.
Gen_Z: Frequently used as a casual greeting or to volunteer information. Often paired with slang in TikTok comments and Instagram Stories.
Older: Typically used literally to represent a wave hello or goodbye. Often used singularly rather than in combinations with other emojis.
Millennials: Commonly used in workplace Slack channels to indicate willingness to take on tasks or in group chats as a friendly wave.
Common Combinations
ποΈπ
Enthusiastic greeting or goodbye, emphasizing friendliness.
Common in casual messaging to show warmth and approachability.
ποΈβ
High five or agreement between people.
Digital celebration of agreement or congratulations.
ποΈπ
Enthusiastic volunteering or seeking attention.
Used in group chats when wanting to be selected or acknowledged.
ποΈπ
Emphatic request to stop or pause.
Used when setting boundaries or requesting time to process information.