World Emoji Day: India’s ‘Namaste’ puts netizens in a tizzy, debate rages over Apple, Android descriptions

Emojis have become an integral part of our online conversations. So much that July 17, i.e. today, is celebrated as the World Emoji Day. While most emojis help us express our thoughts in a precise manner, there has been this one emoji - two hands firmly together - which has been a point of debate on the social media over its meaning and use case.

Social media users are often confused if the emoji represents a prayer sign or a high-five.

Emojipedia, an emoji reference website documenting the meaning and common usage of emoji characters based on Unicode standards, states that the emoji with two hands placed firmly together refers to ‘please or thank you’.

Alternatively, the emoji is also used to represent a prayer or a high-five. When you perform an emoji search for prayer or high-five on an Android-running smartphone, the results will include the folded hands emoji. However, Apple’s iOS refers to the emoji as ‘Hands Pressed Together’ and will only show it to you in its emoji search results when you search for prayer. 

Social media users continue to be in a fix whether to call the character emoji a prayer or a high-five. While some remain clueless, others have decided to take either side.

PSA this emoji is a high five not prayers. Weird seeing tweets saying someone has died or something and everyone sends the high dives.

— VillainInIdaho (@f3202fd95778477) July 13, 2020

We've been high-fiving people's deaths https://t.co/btFa3Gyt4U

Story continues below Advertisement

Remove Ad

— ℓεҡαɳƒเℓα (@lekanfila) June 29, 2020

When I type pray or prayers this emoji will not automatically pop up on my phone. I have to type “thanks” instead. It triggers me. I’m offended.

— Robert Foster (@RobertFoster4MS) June 28, 2020

prayer or high five.
Why not both? pic.twitter.com/Rd2nVCJuYD

— Highest [Killian] (@TechHighest) June 24, 2020

High five I always thought this was for prayer or thank you https://t.co/LqaCDC76LG

— Blu3Reyy (@Blu3Reyy) June 25, 2020

What do you think this is
Prayer hands or high five?

— : Dux : (@kavindaX) June 24, 2020

@NBCGoodGirls messed my mind up.

I can't see without thinking if its prayer hands or two people giving eachother a high five

— Kl... (@KLNTN_) June 10, 2020

High five or sometimes prayer hands. I’m not very good at speaking emoji.

— Sylvia Sudeth (@TeamSudeth) May 31, 2020

Wait is that prayer hands or a high five!? I never know. https://t.co/e3nYBZmYyM

— Chris Fillar (@ItsFillar) April 23, 2020

Okay so apparently Apple codenamed it "hands pressed together" which is honestly a general definition for both a high five and prayer.

But if you check it on something like Slack or use predictive text, it shows up for prayer.

— Kalyn Josephson (@KalynJosephson) April 22, 2020

The debate seems to be ongoing and refuses to show any signs of concluding any time soon. So it is up to you whether you want to interpret the emoji as praying hands or high-five. Unfortunately, if you are on iOS, you are left with no choice but to search for prayer in case you want to use that emoji, even if you want to use it for a 'high-five'.