๐ง
Child
chahyld
Definitions
1
People ยท Age
Very Common
Represents a young human, typically between toddler and teen years, depicted in a gender-neutral way. Used to reference children generally without specifying gender.
Often used when discussing children, parenting, or school-related topics. Provides a gender-neutral alternative to boy/girl emojis.
My ๐ง starts third grade next week!
Family chat
When a ๐ง asks why the sky is blue, it's a perfect teaching moment.
Educational blog
The program welcomes all ๐ง between ages 5-12.
Community announcement
One of the few human emojis designed to be explicitly gender-neutral, reflecting growing awareness of gender inclusivity in digital communication.
2
People ยท Identity
Common
Used to represent gender-neutral identity or as a placeholder when gender is unknown, irrelevant, or intentionally not specified.
Increasingly used in contexts where gender inclusivity is important or when discussing gender-neutral policies.
Our daycare welcomes every ๐ง regardless of background.
Inclusive messaging
The study followed 200 ๐ง through their early development years.
Research summary
Part of the evolution toward more inclusive digital representation, introduced after advocacy for gender-neutral emoji options.
Evolution Timeline
2017
Introduced as part of Unicode 10.0, addressing the need for gender-neutral human emojis.
Growing advocacy for gender-inclusive representation in digital communication.
2018
Gained popularity in educational and inclusive messaging contexts as awareness spread.
Increased discussions about gender-neutral language in child development fields.
2020
Usage increased in public health messaging during pandemic for child-focused guidance.
Need for clear communication about children's health and safety protocols.
Cultural Context
The gender-neutral child emoji reflects broader societal shifts toward inclusive representation, particularly important in educational and developmental contexts.
Part of Unicode's ongoing effort to create more inclusive emoji options, addressing criticism about binary gender representation in earlier emoji sets.
Younger users tend to use this emoji more naturally for gender inclusivity, while older generations may specifically choose it to signal inclusive values.
Corresponds with increasing use of gender-neutral language like 'child' instead of 'boy/girl' in professional and educational contexts.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Commonly used when discussing children in educational settings, often with British terminology.
United States
Often used in educational and parenting contexts, frequently paired with school-related emojis.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Used pragmatically in family discussions and when talking about children's activities and education.
Gen_Z: Frequently used without gender consideration; simply the default choice for referring to children in casual conversations.
Older: Less frequently used; more likely to default to gender-specific child emojis unless specifically aiming for inclusivity.
Millennials: Often deliberately chosen to be inclusive in parenting discussions and educational contexts.
Common Combinations
๐ง๐
Child studying or learning; education for children; school-related topics.
Commonly used when discussing children's education, homework, or school activities.
๐จโ๐ฉโ๐ง
Family with child; parenting; family unit with one child.
Used to represent nuclear families or in discussions about parenting and family life.
๐ง๐ฎ
Child playing video games; children's entertainment; screen time.
Often used in discussions about children's leisure activities or screen time limits.
๐ง๐ซ
Child at school; education system; school attendance.
Used when discussing children's schooling, education policies, or back-to-school topics.
Related Emojis
๐ฆ
Gender-specific alternative (boy) to the neutral child emoji
๐ง
Gender-specific alternative (girl) to the neutral child emoji
๐ถ
Younger age category (baby) compared to child
๐ง
Older age category (person) in the gender-neutral human sequence
๐ซ
Associated with children's education and schooling