❤️
Subgroups
Unicode
U+2764 U+FE0F
Variant status
Fully-qualified
Emoji version
E0.6

red heart

Definitions & examples

The classic symbol of deep love, care, and emotional warmth. It’s straightforward, sincere, and timeless — the “default” heart when you mean it for real.

  • You’re thanking someone who really helped you through a tough week.

    You have no idea how much that meant to me ❤️

General

Also used for family, close friends, or things you truly value — not only romance. It signals long-term affection or gratitude, not fleeting crush energy.

Cross-cultural

In Japanese chats, ❤️ feels more mature than 💕 or 🩷 — it’s used sparingly to express genuine emotion, especially gratitude or serious affection (“本当にありがとう❤️”). In Thailand, it’s often seen in influencer captions or fan comments as a symbol of loyalty and “real love.”

Heads-up

❤️ can make messages feel overly intense early in dating or in professional settings — tone it down with 💕 or 🙂 when you just want to sound kind, not romantic.

Compare picks

See what they share and how they differ to choose the right one.

Differences between ❤️ (red heart) and ❣️ (heart exclamation)

More on heart exclamation

❤️ and ❣️ both convey affection and emotional warmth, signaling positive feelings and care in a message, but they differ in intensity and context: ❤️ is the classic, sincere heart for deep love, steady support, or solemn appreciation, while ❣️ adds a burst of enthusiasm and playful emphasis, suited to excited compliments, enthusiastic endorsements, or lighthearted declarations; ❣️ often reads as more exuberant and attention-grabbing than the calm, timeless tone of ❤️, making it ideal when you want to amplify affection with a touch of surprise or delight without sounding overly serious.

Usage

Use ❤️ when expressing genuine love, steady support, or heartfelt sympathy in a straightforward, sincere way. Use ❣️ when you want to add excitement or playful emphasis to affection, celebrating something you adore or reacting with joyful enthusiasm.

You may also want to check out

Related emojis that share similar meanings or usage.