Emoji dictionary
✋ Raised Hand emoji
[reyzd hand ih-moh-jee]
does ✋ Raised Hand emoji mean?
Bring it up high ✋ for this definition. The raised hand emoji, ✋, can be used to express “stop,” signal a high five, or imitate speaking up, as if raising one’s hand in class.
Where does ✋ Raised Hand emoji come from?

Raised hand emoji was released under Unicode 6.0 in 2010. The emoji appears as a single raised hand, with fingers together and the thumb pointing out to the side. It’s similar to the sign a crossing guard might make to indicate a driver or walker should stop. While its default color is yellow, skin-tone modifiers are available for raised hand emoji.
The raised hand emoji has a range of tone. It can be negative. For example, it can convey “Stop bothering me” or “Don’t do that anymore” (e.g., talk to the hand).
I can't deal with your negativity ✋🏼✋🏼✋🏼✋🏼✋🏼✋🏼✋🏼✋🏼
— Megan Greenwood (@megang_)
It can also be more positive, expressing the fervor, say, of raising your hands in religious worship.
Praise God 🤚🤚
— Denny Ligan (@DennyDublin)
Examples of ✋ Raised Hand emoji
Who uses ✋ Raised Hand emoji?
True to its name, the raised hand emoji can be a digital form of raising one’s hand (e.g., speaking up, voicing agreement, asking for a show of hands).
Show of hands if you’ve been used as “diversity” in PWI marketing materials ✋🏽
— Jarlisa (@jarlisaart)
The raised hand emoji can be used in place of an in-person high five. Sometimes, it can even be accompanied by a paw shake from an animal friend.
Give me Five✋
— Back To Nature (@backt0nature)
The emoji is popular in sports, frequently used in a similar manner as the woman/man raised hand emoji (🙋♀️,🙋♂️). Here it can be used to say, for example, “Yes, I’m ready for some tennis”:
First day of the season!
Who's ready for tennis ✋
— WTA (@WTA)
It is often featured in ad campaigns. For example, the raised hand ᾱhas been used on New Year’s Eve to discourage people from drinking and driving as a forceful “stop” or “don’t.”
STOP! ✋Don't Drink & Drive.
— Eat Drink SETX (@eatdrinksetx)
Although not always political in tone, raised hand emoji can be used in this context. Some tweeters use raised hand emoji to signal protest.
Everyone take a min & pause✋
Racism will never end
Unless you make a change
Justice4all 🙏 take notes— ☁AaronTheMarketer☁ (@Iamaarontm)
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of ✋ Raised Hand emoji like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of ✋ Raised Hand emoji that will help our users expand their word mastery.