🪭
Folding Hand Fan
fohl-ding hand fan
Definitions
1
Objects · Personal Items
Common
A handheld folding fan used to create airflow for cooling oneself. Often associated with traditional East Asian and Spanish cultures.
Used to express feeling hot, seeking relief from heat, or to reference elegance and traditional cultural aesthetics.
This heat wave is killing me 🪭 Need to find some AC!
Social media post during summer
Just got back from Kyoto with this beautiful handcrafted 🪭 as a souvenir!
Travel photo caption
Carries significant cultural meaning in East Asian countries where it's a traditional accessory with centuries of history. Also important in Spanish flamenco culture.
2
Entertainment · Performance
Uncommon
Represents dance performances, particularly flamenco, kabuki, or other traditional art forms where folding fans are used as expressive props.
Used when discussing traditional performances or expressing appreciation for cultural dance forms.
Her flamenco performance was incredible, the way she used the 🪭 was so expressive!
Comment on a dance performance video
In performance contexts, the fan symbolizes artistic expression and cultural heritage.
Evolution Timeline
2023
Added to Unicode 15.0, reflecting growing global interest in traditional East Asian and Spanish cultural items.
Rising popularity of traditional cultural accessories in global fashion and increased cultural exchange.
2023
Gained popularity as a summer heat wave emoji across social media platforms.
Record-breaking global temperatures prompted increased usage in heat-related contexts.
Cultural Context
Folding fans originated in Japan around the 6th-9th centuries and spread to China and Europe. They became status symbols and essential fashion accessories across many cultures.
In East Asian cultures, fans often feature calligraphy, paintings, or poetry, serving as portable art pieces that reflect the owner's taste and social standing.
In Spanish culture, particularly in Andalusia, fans were historically used as a secret communication tool between women and potential suitors when public interaction was restricted.
While primarily associated with traditional cultures, the folding fan emoji has been adopted in modern contexts to represent climate change discussions and heat wave commentary.
Regional Variations
Spain
Strongly associated with flamenco dancing and traditional Spanish culture, particularly in Andalusia.
Japan
Has deeper cultural significance as 'sensu' or 'ōgi', representing traditional Japanese aesthetics and practical cooling.
United States
Primarily used to indicate feeling hot or for aesthetic purposes, with less cultural significance than in East Asian contexts.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Limited usage, primarily in travel contexts or when discussing traditional performances and cultural events.
Gen_Z: Often used aesthetically in K-pop/J-pop fan contexts or as a fashion statement. Also used ironically when discussing climate change and heat waves.
Older: Rarely used; when employed, typically in literal contexts about heat or in reference to traditional cultural performances.
Millennials: Used practically to express discomfort during hot weather and in travel contexts when visiting countries with strong fan traditions.
Common Combinations
🪭🥵
Feeling extremely hot and using a fan to cool down.
Common during summer months to express discomfort from heat waves or hot weather.
🪭💃
Flamenco dancing or Spanish cultural performance.
Used when discussing Spanish dance traditions where fans are essential props.
🪭🇯🇵
Japanese traditional fan or Japanese cultural context.
References Japanese festivals, ceremonies, or traditional arts where fans are used.
🪭✨
Elegant or fashionable fan as an aesthetic accessory.
Often used when showing off a decorative fan or stylish traditional item.