EMOJIS serve as a visual representation in text-based communications and often allow people to vividly express their feelings and emotions in their message.
Most of them have a clear-cut meaning but some have been argued to be something entirely different, like the folded hands emoji.
The long-standing urban legend is that it's not a prayer or a pleading hand gesture, but is a high five!
Is it true? Because if it is then a lot of us should feel bad for high-fiving someone while offering them condolences!
Verdict:
FALSE
Despite the internet claiming that it's a high-five, you will find more people explaining that it is a high-five emoji rather than using it as one.
Historically, the previous version of this emoji displayed a yellow burst of light behind the two hands on iOS.
On the other hand (see what we did there?) Android once showed a character with closed eyes and folded hands.
While the modern form of this emoji may be somewhat ambiguous, its earlier designs make it clear that both hands belong to the same person. - Emojipedia
The folded hands emoji shows two hands placed firmly together, meaning please or thank you.
A common alternative use for this emoji is for prayer, using the same gesture as praying hands.
It can also represent a respectful greeting or show of adoration.
People also fold their hands together when making requests, whether asking for a favour or asking for forgiveness.
Having said that, you can use the folded hands emoji for different purposes, for instance, as the high-five.
This is similar to how many other emoji (such as the eggplant or peach emoji) that is used to signify... uhm... something else that's also organic.
References:
1. https://emojipedia.org/folded-hands
2. https://blog.emojipedia.org/emojiology-folded-hands/
4. https://www.businessinsider.com/the-prayer-hands-emoji-is-changing-2015-3
