🤒 Face with Thermometer Emoji Meaning
The Face with Thermometer emoji shows a sad face with a thermometer in its mouth. It specifically represents having a fever, a high temperature, or being bedridden with the flu.
Chat examples
Describing symptoms:
Person A: How are you feeling?
Person B: Hot and cold flashes. I think I have a fever 🤒
Canceling plans:
Person A: Are we still on for dinner?
Person B: Can't make it, I'm stuck in bed 🤒
Sympathy:
Person A: My temperature is 102.
Person B: Oh no! Get well soon 🤒
How people use this emoji
- Running a high fever today 🤒
- I think I need to see a doctor 🤒
- Soup and bed rest for me 🤒
Fun fact
The red cheeks on this emoji represent the 'flush' of a fever. It is one of the clearest indicators of physical illness in the emoji keyboard.
Frequently asked questions
What does the 🤒 Thermometer emoji mean?
It means having a fever, a high temperature, the flu, or being bedridden. It clearly indicates that someone is physically sick.
What is the difference between 🤒 and 🥵?
The 🤒 (Thermometer) means you are sick with an internal fever. The 🥵 (Hot/Sweating) means you are overheated from the weather, exercise, or eating spicy food.
Why does the 🤒 emoji have red cheeks?
The red cheeks illustrate the physical 'flush' that happens to human skin when fighting off a high fever or infection.
Is 🤒 used to cancel plans?
Yes, it is the standard visual shorthand for 'I am too sick to come to work' or 'I need to cancel our dinner plans.'
Can 🤒 mean 'lovesick'?
Metaphorically, it can be used to say 'I have a fever for you,' but 95% of the time it is used to describe literal, physical illness.
Does the 🤒 imply you are contagious?
It often does! Sending this usually implies 'stay away, I don't want to get you sick.'
Is the 🤒 emoji used by parents?
It is highly popular among parents posting updates or venting about their toddlers bringing colds and fevers home from school.
What emojis pair well with 🤒?
It goes great with the Sneezing Face 🤧 (for a full cold), a Bowl of Soup 🥣 (for a sick day meal), and the Bed 🛏️ (for resting).
Emoji meaning in detail
The Face with Thermometer emoji 🤒 features a pained expression, flushed red cheeks, and a medical thermometer held in the mouth.
It is the specific symbol for pyrexia (fever) and is widely used to communicate that someone is contagious or bedridden.
Real-life usage scenarios
Used during flu season to describe symptoms.
Used by parents posting about their sick children.
Used to gain sympathy when feeling miserable.
How this emoji affects tone and emotion
This emoji adds a tone of vulnerability and physical distress.
It clearly communicates 'I am not okay right now'.
Professional vs casual usage
In casual settings, it is the standard way to say 'I'm sick.'
In professional settings, it is acceptable in a quick message to a manager explaining an absence.
When to use
Use this to tell people you have a fever, the flu, or are too sick to go out.
When not to use
Avoid using it for minor complaints like a headache; use 🤕 or 😫 instead.
Common mistakes and misuse
Using it to mean 'hot weather' is incorrect and confuses people. Use 🥵 for weather.
Unicode and technical information
Unicode name: FACE WITH THERMOMETER
Unicode version: Unicode 8.0
Code point: U+1F912
Shortcodes: :face_with_thermometer:
Platform appearance
Most platforms show a red liquid thermometer. The expression is universally sad and uncomfortable.