🙏
🙏 Prayer Hands Emoji
Meaning
The prayer hands emoji (🙏) — officially called "Folded Hands" in Unicode — is one of the most frequently misinterpreted emojis. It represents hands pressed together, palm-to-palm: a posture used for prayer in many religions, for expressing gratitude in Japanese and other Asian cultures (as a respectful bow gesture), and for pleading or asking for something. The same gesture is also sometimes mistaken for a high five between two hands, though it is a single pair of clasped or folded hands. In digital communication, 🙏 covers prayer, deep gratitude, please/thank you, and reverence — all at once.
How to Use
- •Expressing gratitude ("Thank you so much 🙏")
- •Making a polite request or plea ("Please help 🙏")
- •Hoping or wishing for a positive outcome
- •Expressing spiritual prayer or reverence
Related Emojis
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 🙏 mean prayer or high five?▾
The 🙏 emoji officially represents "folded hands" — but it is not a high five. In most contexts it's used for prayer, gratitude, or a polite request. The two hands belong to the same person, pressed together, not two people clapping.
What does 🙏 mean in texting?▾
In texting, 🙏 most commonly means "thank you," "please," or "I'm hoping for the best." It can also express spiritual prayer depending on context. It's one of the most versatile emojis for expressing sincerity.
Is 🙏 a high five?▾
No — though it is one of the most common emoji misreadings. 🙏 shows a single pair of folded hands pressed together, not two separate hands meeting in a high five. The confusion arises because the hands face each other symmetrically, which can look like a clap or a high five at small sizes. Officially it is Folded Hands, used for prayer, gratitude, and pleading.