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.
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
