Raised Hand

The Raised Hand at U+270B is an emoji-style gesture showing an open hand held upright, usually meaning “stop,” “wait,” “high five,” or “I have a question.” It comes from the Dingbats block and is commonly treated as part of the People & Gestures emoji set, often displayed with optional skin-tone variations on modern platforms. In messaging and social media, it is a quick visual way to pause a conversation, volunteer, ask to speak, or signal agreement: “✋ I can help” or “hold on ✋.” In classrooms, meetings, livestream chats, and group threads, it often echoes the real-world act of raising a hand to get attention before speaking. The same hand can also read as a greeting or celebratory high five, depending on context, especially in short replies like “nice work ✋” or “up top ✋.” Its meaning can overlap with waving-hand and stop-hand gestures, so nearby words usually decide whether it feels friendly, cautionary, or interrupting.