๐ŸŒ–

Waning Gibbous Moon

wey-ning gib-uhs moon
Travel & Places Unicode 1.0 uncommon

Meanings

1
Astronomy ยท Natural Common

Represents the lunar phase after full moon where the illuminated portion is decreasing but still more than half visible, appearing as a partially shadowed circle.

Used in astronomical contexts, weather discussions, or to indicate nighttime activities.

Beautiful ๐ŸŒ– tonight! Perfect for stargazing. ๐Ÿ“‹ Instagram caption
Tonight's ๐ŸŒ– means we're heading toward the new moon. Good time for releasing negative energy. ๐Ÿ“‹ Spiritual/wellness blog

Often associated with winding down, transition periods, and the cyclical nature of time.

2
Metaphorical ยท Time Uncommon

Symbolizes transition, decline, or the passing of time. Used metaphorically to represent something past its peak but still substantial.

Often appears in poetic contexts or philosophical discussions about time and change.

My career is in its ๐ŸŒ– phase - still bright but I'm starting to think about what comes next. ๐Ÿ“‹ Personal social media post

In some spiritual practices, represents a time for letting go, reflection, and preparation for new beginnings.

Combos with ๐ŸŒ–

๐ŸŒ–โœจ
A beautiful night sky with a waning gibbous moon and stars.
Commonly used to share evening experiences or night photography.
๐ŸŒ–๐Ÿ”ญ
Observing the waning gibbous moon through a telescope.
Used by astronomy enthusiasts or during celestial events.
๐ŸŒ‘๐ŸŒ’๐ŸŒ“๐ŸŒ”๐ŸŒ•๐ŸŒ–๐ŸŒ—๐ŸŒ˜
The complete lunar cycle from new moon to waning crescent.
Used in educational contexts or to track lunar phases.

Culture

The waning gibbous phase occurs after the full moon and before the third quarter, when the illuminated portion decreases from 99% to 51%.

In many spiritual traditions, the waning gibbous represents a time for gratitude, reflection, and releasing what no longer serves you.

Historically, farmers used this moon phase as a guide for harvesting and preparing for dormant seasons.

India Used in both scientific contexts and traditional lunar calendar references.
United States Commonly used in astronomical contexts and occasionally in spiritual or astrological discussions.
Gen_X: Primarily used literally to reference the actual moon phase or night sky observations.
Gen_Z: Used in astrology content, aesthetic night photography, and sometimes ironically in memes about moods or energy levels.
Older: Less frequently used, but appears in weather discussions and traditional calendar references.
Millennials: Commonly used in wellness contexts, moon tracking apps, and nature photography captions.

History

2010

Introduced in Unicode 6.0 as part of the initial set of astronomical emoji symbols.

Growing interest in representing natural phenomena in digital communication.

2018

Gained popularity in wellness and spiritual communities for moon-phase tracking.

Rising interest in astrology, lunar cycles, and natural rhythms in digital wellness spaces.