Person Bowing Emoji

The Person Bowing emoji 🙇 shows a figure bent forward at the waist in a deep bow, and it means sincere apology, deep gratitude, or profound respect. It comes from Japanese bowing etiquette, where the depth of the bow signals how serious the feeling is. Online, it adds humility to thanks, apologies, and requests.

What Does the Person Bowing Emoji Mean?

The Person Bowing emoji means a deep, humble bow used to apologize, thank someone, or show respect. Its official Unicode name is PERSON BOWING DEEPLY, which tells you a lot: this is not a polite nod but a full bend at the waist, with the head lowered and the body folded forward.

The emoji is rooted in Japanese culture, where bowing (ojigi) is a standard part of greeting, thanking, and apologizing. The very deep version, sometimes tied to the term dogeza, is associated with serious remorse or an urgent plea. That origin explains why the emoji carries more weight than a simple smiley or a thumbs up.

Because of that weight, it works as an intensifier. Pair it with a short message and the whole sentence feels more heartfelt, whether you are saying sorry for missing a meeting or thanking a colleague for staying late.

What Are the Main Meanings of the Person Bowing Emoji?

The emoji has three core meanings: apology, gratitude, and respect. Context and the words around it tell the reader which one you intend.

Apology

The most common use is a serious sorry. It signals that you recognize a mistake and want to show genuine regret, not a casual shrug.

Gratitude

Used after a favor, a gift, or help in a tough moment, it says thank you with real feeling. It often appears as an extra-polite thanks in messages to teachers, bosses, and friends.

Respect and humility

The emoji also honors someone's skill or achievement. Fans use it to bow to an artist, athlete, or creator, as in "I bow to your talent."

• I'm so sorry for the late reply 🙇
• Thank you for covering my shift, truly appreciate it 🙇
• That performance was unreal, I bow to you 🙇

What Does 🙇 Mean in Texting and on Social Media?

In texting, 🙇 usually means "I'm sorry" or "thank you so much," and it often carries a slightly formal or heartfelt tone. It tends to appear at the end of a message rather than replace the message entirely.

On social media, the emoji has a second life as a gesture of admiration. Replies like "Masterpiece 🙇" or "Teach me, sensei 🙇" use the bow to praise someone's work. Fans of anime, music, and gaming communities use it this way often because the Japanese origin of the gesture is well known in those circles.

It can also be used playfully. Dramatic mock-apologies such as I'm sorry I ate the last slice 🙇🙇🙇 repeat the emoji for comic exaggeration, turning a deep apology into a joke between friends.

How Do You Use the Person Bowing Emoji Correctly?

Use 🙇 when you want to add sincerity to an apology, a thank you, or a respectful request, and keep the surrounding words clear. The emoji amplifies a message; it works best when the message itself already states the feeling.

• Place it at the end of a sentence to soften or deepen the tone.
• Use one emoji for sincere moments and repeated emojis for humor or extra emphasis.
• Match the weight to the situation: a small slip may not need a deep bow, while a real mistake does.

In requests, it signals politeness. A message like Could you review this when you have time? Thank you in advance 🙇 reads as respectful and considerate rather than demanding.

How Does the Person Bowing Emoji Look on Different Platforms?

Every major platform draws a figure bent forward at the waist, but the art style, outfit, and default appearance vary. The emoji is supported on Apple (iOS 6.0+, macOS 10.7+), Google (Android 4.3+), Microsoft (Windows 8.0+), Samsung (One UI 1.0+), WhatsApp (2.17+), and Twitter via Twemoji (1.0+).

Because the character is in the People & Body category and has no fixed gender in its base form, vendors choose how to render it, and the figure's look can differ from one platform to the next. If the exact appearance matters to your message, check how it displays on the receiver's device, or use a gendered or skin tone variant for more control.

Skin tone options

The emoji supports skin tone modifiers, so you can pick a shade that matches you or the person you are addressing. Without a modifier it shows in the default yellow or neutral tone, depending on the platform.

Which Emojis Pair Well With 🙇?

The Person Bowing emoji pairs well with emojis that reinforce apology, thanks, or emotion, such as 🙏, 😢, 😅, and ❤️. Pairing is useful when you want to clarify which meaning you intend.

• 🙇🙏 for heartfelt thanks or a respectful request
• 🙇😢 for a sad, sincere apology
• 🙇😅 for an embarrassed "my bad"
• 🙇❤️ for deep gratitude toward someone you care about

For contrast, the expressive faces and gestures in the same family help show the opposite mood. Compare it with the unhappy look of Person Frowning or the angrier Person Pouting, which show displeasure rather than contrition. If you are exploring similar expressions by gender, you can also look at Man Frowning and Woman Pouting.

When Should You Avoid the Person Bowing Emoji?

Avoid 🙇 when the situation is casual, when you do not mean the sentiment, or when the apology needs real words instead of a symbol. A bowing emoji cannot replace an honest explanation after a serious mistake.

• Serious harm: if someone was truly hurt or a client lost money, write a full apology; an emoji alone can look dismissive.
• Sarcasm risk: in tense chats, an exaggerated 🙇 can read as mocking, so tone matters.
• Strict formal writing: in legal, official, or very formal emails, skip emojis entirely.
• Overuse: sending it for every small thing weakens its meaning.

In some cultures the bow is not a daily gesture, so recipients may read the emoji as unusually dramatic. When in doubt, add a sentence of plain language alongside it.

How Does 🙇 Differ From Similar Emojis?

The Person Bowing emoji is a body-language gesture of humility, while similar emojis show emotion on the face or a different gesture. The closest neighbors are 🙏 (folded hands), which can mean please, thanks, or prayer, and 🙍 and 🙎, which show frowning and pouting.

Compared with 🙏, the bow feels more personal and more apologetic. Compared with the frowning or pouting figures, such as Woman Frowning or Man Pouting, it moves in the opposite direction: instead of expressing displeasure, it expresses deference. To browse the whole family of gesture emojis, visit the People & Body category.

How Do You Copy and Paste the Person Bowing Emoji?

You can copy the Person Bowing emoji 🙇 with one click on this page, then paste it into any message, post, or document. Its Unicode codepoint is U+1F647, it was added in Unicode 6.0, and it is Emoji Version 0.6, so it works on virtually every modern device.

If you prefer the keyboard, the shortcode is :person_bowing:, which many chat apps convert automatically. Want to build a whole message out of symbols? Try the Emoji Translator to turn text into emojis, or see what is popular right now on the trending emojis page.