Woman Facepalming Emoji
U+1F926 U+200D U+2640 U+FE0F:woman_facepalming:Skin tonesAbout Woman Facepalming π€¦ββοΈ
Woman Facepalming () is part of the People & Body group in Unicode. Added in Unicode E4.0. Type on GitHub and Slack to use it. Click copy above to grab it, paste it anywhere.
Works in iMessage, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Instagram, Twitter, Gmail, and every app that supports Unicode. Pick a skin tone above to customize it.
Often associated with again, bewilder, disbelief, and 9 more keywords.
Meaning varies across cultures, see cultural notes below.
Scroll down for the full story: meaning, trends, combos, and more.
How it looks
What does it mean?
A woman pressing her hand to her forehead in a gesture of frustration, disbelief, or embarrassment. The facepalm. Possibly the most universally understood human gesture of the 21st century, and certainly one of the most satisfying emojis to send.
The gesture predates the internet by centuries. Henri Vidal's 1896 marble sculpture) of Cain in Paris's Tuileries Garden shows the biblical figure with his hand covering his face after murdering Abel. But the modern "facepalm" as a cultural concept exploded through one specific image: Captain Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation, pressing his hand to his face during Season 3, Episode 13 ("Deja Q," 1990). Patrick Stewart's gesture of exasperation at Q generated over 23,000 memes and became the definitive internet reaction image for "I can't believe this."
The word "facepalm" entered Urban Dictionary in 2004 and the Oxford English Dictionary in 2011. The emoji followed in Unicode 9.0 (2016), officially called "Face Palm" (). It was one of 72 new emojis in that release and immediately became one of the most-used. As of 2024, π€¦ ranks 18th among all emojis globally.
π€¦ββοΈ is the reaction emoji. You don't lead with it, you respond with it. Someone texts something baffling, and π€¦ββοΈ is the reply. A friend makes the same mistake for the third time, π€¦ββοΈ. You read a headline so stupid it gives you a headache, π€¦ββοΈ.
On X (formerly Twitter), it's one of the most common quote-tweet reactions to politicians, corporations, and anyone saying something publicly absurd. On TikTok, it appears in captions reacting to cringe content or one's own past mistakes ("me watching my old videos π€¦ββοΈ").
The emoji also works for self-directed frustration. "Forgot my keys again π€¦ββοΈ" or "just realized I've been on mute for 10 minutes π€¦ββοΈ" are classic self-facepalm uses. This dual function (reacting to others AND to yourself) is why it ranks so high in global usage. It covers both secondhand embarrassment and first-party failure.
It expresses frustration, disbelief, or embarrassment. A hand pressed to the forehead, the universal "I can't believe this" gesture. Used both for reacting to other people's mistakes and for acknowledging your own. Ranks 18th globally among all emojis.
What it means from...
From a crush, π€¦ββοΈ usually means they've embarrassed themselves ("just tripped in front of you π€¦ββοΈ") or they're reacting to something you said that was so bad it was endearing. Vulnerability through self-facepalm is actually a positive sign. It means they care enough about your perception to acknowledge their own mistakes.
The most common partner use: reacting to your antics. "You did WHAT? π€¦ββοΈ" is relationship facepalming 101. Can also be self-directed when they make a silly mistake. The frequency of π€¦ββοΈ in a relationship often correlates with how comfortable people are being imperfect around each other.
Between friends, π€¦ββοΈ is the default reaction to anyone's bad decision. "You texted your ex again? π€¦ββοΈ" It's judgment and love in a single gesture. Also used for shared exasperation: "Did you see what [person] posted? π€¦ββοΈ"
From parents: disappointment lite. "You forgot to bring the thing I asked for π€¦ββοΈ." From siblings: pure roasting. The family facepalm is usually more specific and personal than the friend version.
In Slack, π€¦ββοΈ is surprisingly common. Reacting to broken deploys, meeting mix-ups, or obvious email typos. It's workplace-acceptable because facepalming is universal. Just make sure you're facepalming at the situation, not at a specific person in a public channel.
On social media, it's the reply reaction. Quote-tweeting a bad take with just π€¦ββοΈ says everything without saying anything. It's the internet's headshake.
Flirty or friendly?
Not inherently flirty, but self-directed facepalming in a dating context can be endearing. "I'm so awkward around you π€¦ββοΈ" is vulnerable and relatable, which reads as authentic. Facepalming AT someone, however, is never flirty. It's judgment.
- β’Self-directed after a clumsy moment? Vulnerable and potentially flirty.
- β’At something you said/did? They're judging you. Not flirty.
- β’Paired with π? They think it's funny, not a dealbreaker.
- β’Used frequently? They might be neurotic (or you might be doing a lot of facepalm-worthy things).
Depends on direction. If she's facepalming at herself ("just realized I had my shirt inside out all day π€¦ββοΈ"), she's being vulnerable and self-deprecating. If she's facepalming at you ("you really said that to her? π€¦ββοΈ"), she's expressing disbelief at your choices. One is endearing, the other is judgment.
Emoji combos
Origin story
The facepalm is one of the rare emojis where the meme came first and the Unicode character followed.
The gesture of pressing one's hand to one's face in frustration has existed for as long as humans have had hands and faces. Henri Vidal's 1896 sculpture) of Cain in Paris's Tuileries Garden is often cited as one of the earliest artistic depictions, showing the biblical figure with his hand covering his face in remorse. But the modern meme traces to a very specific moment.
On February 5, 1990, Star Trek: The Next Generation aired "Deja Q" (Season 3, Episode 13). In the scene, the omnipotent being Q appears on the Enterprise bridge claiming he's been stripped of his powers. Captain Picard's response is a hand slowly rising to his forehead in the purest expression of "I cannot deal with this" ever captured on camera. The image of Patrick Stewart mid-facepalm became one of the most-shared reaction images in internet history.
The word "facepalm" was first defined on Urban Dictionary on February 10, 2004. The term entered the Oxford English Dictionary in August 2011. But emoji? Nothing. For years, people typed facepalm in forum posts or shared Picard GIFs because there was no pictographic equivalent.
The emoji was proposed in L2/15-054 (2015) and approved in Unicode 9.0 (June 2016) alongside 71 other new emojis. It was officially called "Face Palm" and assigned codepoint . Gendered variants (π€¦ββοΈ and π€¦ββοΈ) were added in Emoji 4.0 that same year.
The emoji was immediately popular. By 2024, Meltwater data ranked it 18th among all emojis globally. It had taken 26 years from Picard's facepalm to the emoji's approval, but the wait was worth it.
Person Facepalming was approved as part of Unicode 9.0 (June 2016) under the name "Face Palm" and added to Emoji 3.0. Codepoint . The gendered Woman Facepalming variant was added simultaneously in Emoji 4.0 (2016) as a ZWJ sequence: + + + . The original proposal was L2/15-054 (2015). One of 72 new emojis in that Unicode release.
Design history
- 1896Henri Vidal sculpts Cain in the Tuileries Garden, one of the earliest artistic 'facepalm' depictions
- 1990Star Trek: TNG airs 'Deja Q' featuring Picard's iconic facepalm momentβ
- 2004The word 'facepalm' is defined on Urban Dictionary (February 10)
- 2007Picard facepalm image uploaded to YouTube, becoming a viral reaction image
- 2011'Facepalm' added to the Oxford English Dictionary
- 2016Unicode 9.0 approves Person Facepalming (U+1F926) alongside 71 other new emojisβ
- 2016Emoji 4.0 adds gendered variants: π€¦ββοΈ (Woman) and π€¦ββοΈ (Man)
Around the world
The facepalm is one of the most universally understood gestures. Pressing your hand to your face in frustration doesn't need cultural translation. It means the same thing in New York, Tokyo, Lagos, and SΓ£o Paulo.
The only real cultural variation is in how readily people use it. In cultures with more direct communication styles (American, Australian, Northern European), π€¦ββοΈ is used freely and often. In cultures with more indirect communication (much of East Asia, parts of the Middle East), publicly expressing frustration through emoji can be considered too blunt, especially toward someone with higher social status.
The meme origin (Star Trek: TNG) is primarily a Western cultural reference, but the gesture itself is universal. Picard's specific facepalm is recognized globally among internet-connected populations regardless of whether they've seen Star Trek.
The emoji itself wasn't inspired by Star Trek, but the gesture as a meme absolutely was. The Picard facepalm from "Deja Q" (1990) became the internet's definitive reaction image for frustration. The emoji was approved 26 years later in 2016. While the proposal doesn't cite Star Trek, the cultural association is inseparable.
Henri Vidal's 1896 marble sculpture of Cain in Paris's Tuileries Garden shows the biblical figure with his hand covering his face after murdering Abel. It's commonly photographed by tourists as "the original facepalm." The gesture in art likely predates this, but Vidal's sculpture is the most famous example.
Popularity ranking
Often confused with
π€·ββοΈ expresses "I don't know" or indifference. π€¦ββοΈ expresses "I can't believe this." One is about lack of knowledge, the other is about excess of frustration. They often appear in the same conversation but serve different moments.
π€·ββοΈ expresses "I don't know" or indifference. π€¦ββοΈ expresses "I can't believe this." One is about lack of knowledge, the other is about excess of frustration. They often appear in the same conversation but serve different moments.
π€¦ββοΈ is "I can't believe this" (frustration, disbelief). π€·ββοΈ is "I don't know" (indifference, uncertainty). One reacts to something specific with exasperation, the other shrugs it off. They often appear in the same conversation at different moments.
Do's and don'ts
- βUse it to react to genuine absurdity, mistakes, or disbelief
- βUse it self-deprecatingly when you make a mistake
- βUse it in Slack reactions to broken builds or meeting mishaps
- βPair with π to signal it's funny, not genuinely upsetting
- βDon't facepalm at someone in a way that makes them feel stupid
- βDon't use it in response to someone's genuine question, that's just mean
- βDon't overuse it, save it for real facepalm moments
- βDon't use it as a passive-aggressive reaction to a coworker's idea in a public channel
Yes, but carefully. Reacting to a broken build or a meeting mix-up with π€¦ββοΈ in Slack is generally acceptable. Facepalming at a specific person's idea or comment in a public channel can read as dismissive or condescending. Use it for shared situations, not directed criticism.
It can be. Facepalming at someone's genuine effort or honest question is unkind. Facepalming at an obviously absurd situation is fine. The line is whether the target deserves empathy (don't facepalm) or accountability (go ahead). Self-directed facepalming is always safe.
Caption ideas
Aesthetic sets
Type it as text
Fun facts
- β’The Picard facepalm meme has generated over 23,000 derivative memes since the original screenshot was shared on internet forums.
- β’"Facepalm" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in August 2011, five years before the emoji existed. The word predated the pictograph.
- β’The earliest recorded use of "facepalm" as a term was on Urban Dictionary on February 10, 2004. The specific Picard image was first labeled a "facepalm" on YouTube in 2007.
- β’Henri Vidal's 1896 sculpture of Cain in Paris's Tuileries Garden is now commonly photographed by tourists specifically because it looks like a facepalm. A 19th-century religious artwork has become a meme pilgrimage site.
Common misinterpretations
- β’Some people use π€¦ββοΈ to express sadness, but it's specifically about frustration and disbelief, not grief. For sadness, π or π’ are better fits. A facepalm is exasperation, not sorrow.
- β’In some contexts, π€¦ββοΈ can read as condescending rather than empathetic. Facepalming at someone's genuine confusion (as opposed to an obvious mistake) comes across as unkind rather than relatable.
In pop culture
- β’The Picard facepalm from Star Trek: TNG's "Deja Q" (1990) is the single most iconic facepalm image in internet history. Patrick Stewart pressing his hand to his forehead in exasperation at Q became the template for thousands of reaction memes.
- β’Henri Vidal's 1896 marble sculpture) of Cain in Paris's Tuileries Garden is nicknamed "the original facepalm" by internet users who photograph it on visits to Paris.
- β’Inverse published an article titled "The Facepalm, the Newest Emoji, Dates Back Thousands of Years" tracing the gesture from ancient art through Picard to Unicode.
Trivia
For developers
- β’ZWJ sequence: (Person Facepalming) + + (Female Sign) + . With skin tone: + skin tone + + + .
- β’Shortcodes: or (the base version). CLDR short name: .
- β’The facepalm emoji is frequently used as a Slack reaction. If you're building a custom reaction system, expect high usage on this one.
- β’The base was one of the highest-adoption emojis from Unicode 9.0. If you're filtering emoji by minimum platform support, this one is safe across all modern systems.
Person Facepalming was approved in Unicode 9.0 (June 2016) as one of 72 new emojis. The gendered variants (π€¦ββοΈ Woman Facepalming, π€¦ββοΈ Man Facepalming) were added in Emoji 4.0 the same year. The word 'facepalm' had been in dictionaries since 2011.
See the full Emoji Developer Tools guide for regex patterns, encoding helpers, and more.
What makes you reach for π€¦ββοΈ?
Select all that apply
- Woman Facepalming Emoji (Emojipedia) (emojipedia.org)
- Person Facepalming Emoji (Emojipedia) (emojipedia.org)
- Facepalm (Know Your Meme) (knowyourmeme.com)
- Facepalm (Wikipedia) (en.wikipedia.org)
- Unicode 9.0 Released with 72 New Emojis (Emojipedia Blog) (blog.emojipedia.org)
- Top Emojis of 2024 (Meltwater) (meltwater.com)
- Henri Vidal (Wikipedia) (en.wikipedia.org)
- How 'Facepalm' Became a Word (Merriam-Webster) (merriam-webster.com)
- The Facepalm Dates Back Thousands of Years (Inverse) (inverse.com)
- Why Picard's Facepalm Became TNG's Most Popular Meme (ScreenRant) (screenrant.com)
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