Connect with us

Technology

Beloved iPhone emoji ISN’T what you think as huge online row erupts over true meaning

EMOJIS are a great way to communicate how we’re feeling but they can also lead to awkwardness if you use them in the wrong context.

Some people disagree on what certain emojis stand for and one emoji that gets debated a lot is called ‘Folded Hands’.

Some people strongly believe this is a ‘high-five’ emoji, while others think it represents praying

TwitterThere is an ongoing debate about what this emoji means[/caption]

According to Emojipedia, the two hands placed together can have several meanings.

It explains: “Two hands placed firmly together, meaning please or thank you in Japanese culture. A common alternative use for this emoji is for prayer, using the same gesture as praying hands. Rarely: a high-five.

“A previous version of this emoji displayed a yellow burst of light behind the two hands on iOS. Android once showed a blob-character with closed eyes and folded hands.

“Folded Hands was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010 under the name “Person with Folded Hands” and added to Emoji 1.0 in 2015.”

It also notes that Apple simply refers to the emoji as “Hands Pressed Together”, which could give it a more ambiguous meaning and support people who call it a high-five.


The ongoing debate is often tweeted about.

One confused Twitter user recently wrote: “The “prayer” emoji is actually a high five emoji, our whole lives have been a lie.”

Another said: “Thats the high five emoji ??? I always thought it was the praying emoji lol.”

One user demanded: “Stop using that high five emoji as a praying one lmao.”

Another joked: “So this comes up when you search for a highfiveemoji. Lots of people seem stoked when someone dies.”

Ascribing your own meaning to an emoji is fine but as, that tweet points out, some people use the prayer emoji when talking about a bereavement or a serious situation.

However, a high-five is often used in a celebratory situation.

Whatever you decide to do with your emojis, you may want to check the person you’re messaging is on the same page before you use one in a serious discussion.

Read all the latest Phones & Gadgets newsKeep up-to-date on Apple storiesGet the latest on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram

Best Phone and Gadget tips and hacks

Looking for tips and hacks for your phone? Want to find those secret features within social media apps? We have you covered…

How to get your deleted Instagram photos back
How to track someone on Google Maps
How can I increase my Snapchat score?
How can I change my Facebook password?
How can I do a duet on TikTok?
Here’s how to see if your Gmail has been hacked
How can I change my Amazon Alexa voice in seconds?
What is dating app Bumble?
How can I test my broadband internet speed?
Here’s how to find your Sky TV remote in SECONDS

In other news, check out our iPhone 13 review and iPhone 13 Pro review.

Take a look at the new Lamborghini Huracan Evo that can clean your house and cook you dinner.

Find out about the wildly impressive Panasonic 65HZ1000 TV, which makes most tellies look rubbish.

Read our complete guide to Call of Duty Vanguard.

And Dell’s Alienware R10 Ryzen Edition is a gaming PC powerhouse that crushes both the new consoles.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk