waving hand
U+1F44B
− Avoid when: starting a message with just this and nothing else. it signals you have no plan for the rest
Definitions (5)
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Hello. The simplest greeting. Open, warm, completely benign.
When to use
- +"hey 👋"
- +introducing yourself in a group chat
- +waving at someone who has no idea who you are online
Avoid when
- −starting a message with just this and nothing else. it signals you have no plan for the rest
Goodbye. Permanent. Addressed to someone who has outstayed their welcome in your mentions, your life, or your patience. The wave is polite. The implication is you won't be seeing them again.
When to use
- +"goodbye and good luck 👋"
- +final reply in a long argument
- +"blocked 👋"
Avoid when
- −you're just saying hi. context completely determines which wave this is and the stakes of a misread are high
Hello / goodbye — the hand raised and moved side to side to greet or take leave. The near-universal default.
Dismissive "bye" / good riddance — a pointed farewell to a person, situation, or toxic relationship: "I'm done here," sometimes a curt TTYL.
Avoid when
- −can land as rude when a friendly goodbye was intended
"We're not friends anymore" — on WeChat in China the wave is passive-aggressive: it can mean the sender thinks you said something dumb and no longer wants to talk to you, not a warm goodbye.
Avoid when
- −sending 👋 as a cheerful sign-off to Chinese contacts can read as an insult or friendship cut-off