handshake
U+1F91D
− Avoid when: between Orthodox Jews and the opposite sex, and for many conservative Muslims across genders, handshaking is avoided; in Ethiopia and Indonesia the left hand is considered unclean for it
Definitions (4)
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deal. mutual respect between two strangers who both think pineapple belongs on pizza. often used as a bridge: "people who hate small talk 🤝 people who hate phone calls"
When to use
- +sealing plans
- +finding your people in a comment section
Agreement / deal sealed — two hands clasped to close a bargain, confirm a mutual decision, or signal partnership and "we're aligned."
Greeting / parting / congratulations — a hello, goodbye, or "congrats," conveying trust, respect and equality.
Avoid when
- −between Orthodox Jews and the opposite sex, and for many conservative Muslims across genders, handshaking is avoided; in Ethiopia and Indonesia the left hand is considered unclean for it
"Epic handshake" / we-are-the-same meme — the object-labelling template (from the 1987 film *Predator*) where two labelled arms clasp over one shared thing, used to show unexpected common ground between opposing groups. The emoji stands in for the same "both agree on this" idea.