#️⃣
The Emoji
Keycap: #
U+0023 U+FE0F U+20E3 · :keycap_:
Trend 38
Meaning layers
- interpretation
- Used to reference hashtags, categorization, numbering, or to signal that something belongs to a specific topic or trend. Sometimes used ironically to mock over-hashtagging culture.
- tiktok usage
- Appears in captions or comments to highlight a specific tag, trend, or category, often self-referentially calling out hashtag spam culture.
- irony level
- 5 / 10
Platform meanings
- meaning
- Signals hashtags, trends, or topic categories; also used self-referentially in posts commenting on hashtag culture.
- trend usage
- Appears in captions like '#️⃣trending' or before a trending sound name; also used in educational 'how to go viral' content discussing hashtag strategy.
- hashtags
- #hashtaglife#trending#fyp#hashtagstrategy#keycap
- virality score
- 42 / 100
Cultural meanings
🇺🇸
Western / Gen-Z
Primarily understood as the hashtag symbol; used ironically to mock social media culture or sincerely to tag trending topics. Often paired with self-aware humor about being 'extremely online'.
🇵🇰
Pakistan & India
Widely recognized as the hashtag used in Twitter/X and Instagram activism campaigns; heavily used during major political or cultural movements to signal solidarity or participation.
🌍
Middle East
Associated with hashtag activism (especially during regional political events) and digital organizing; also recognized as the telephone pound key in older telephony contexts.
🌐
Global Neutral
Universally understood as the hash/number symbol; used for labeling, numbering, and referencing hashtags across all digital platforms regardless of cultural background.
🇧🇩
Bangladesh
Used in social media posts related to political movements and student activism; recognized as the hashtag symbol primarily through Facebook and TikTok usage.
🇱🇰
Sri Lanka
Recognized as the hashtag symbol through widespread social media use; associated with trending topics on Twitter/X and Instagram during social or political events.
🇨🇳
China
Less commonly associated with Western hashtag culture due to platform differences; more likely recognized as a number/pound symbol or linked to Weibo's topic tag system (which uses different characters).
🇯🇵
Japan
Associated with the 'sharp' music symbol or number sign in some contexts; in digital culture, recognized as the hashtag but more commonly the native # character is used on platforms like Twitter/X.
🇰🇷
South Korea
Strongly associated with hashtag culture on Instagram and Twitter/X, particularly in K-pop fandom contexts where hashtag campaigns are a major fan organizing tool.
🇹🇼
Taiwan
Recognized as the hashtag symbol; used in social media activism and pop culture discussions, particularly on PTT (Taiwan's Reddit equivalent) and Instagram.
🇭🇰
Hong Kong
Associated with hashtag activism, particularly following major social movements; the symbol carries a sense of digital organizing and collective voice.
🇵🇭
Philippines
Widely used in hashtag culture across Facebook and TikTok; associated with viral campaigns, political movements, and entertainment trending topics.
🇮🇩
Indonesia
Recognized primarily through Instagram and TikTok hashtag culture; heavily used in lifestyle content, political campaigns, and entertainment trending posts.
🇹🇭
Thailand
Associated with Twitter/X hashtag activism and K-pop fandom campaigns; Thai Twitter is among the most active globally, so the hash symbol carries significant cultural weight.
🇻🇳
Vietnam
Used in social media contexts on Facebook and TikTok; primarily seen as a tagging/categorization tool rather than carrying deep cultural symbolism.
🇲🇾
Malaysia
Recognized as the hashtag symbol through widespread social media use; used across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for both personal expression and political commentary.
🇸🇦
Saudi Arabia
Associated with hashtag campaigns on Twitter/X (which has very high Saudi usage); carries weight in social and political discourse as a symbol of trending public opinion.
🇦🇪
UAE
Recognized as the hashtag in a highly digitally connected society; used widely in influencer culture, tourism campaigns, and government digital initiatives.
🇪🇬
Egypt
Strongly associated with hashtag activism tracing back to the Arab Spring era; carries historical weight as a symbol of digital organizing and public expression.
🇹🇷
Turkey
Tied to Twitter/X hashtag activism culture; recognized as a tool for trending topics in a politically active social media landscape.
🇮🇷
Iran
Associated with hashtag-based digital activism and circumventing censorship; carries a sense of resistance and collective voice in online spaces.
🇳🇬
Nigeria
Widely used in Afrobeats promotion, Twitter/X activism (including #EndSARS movement), and general pop culture tagging; a symbol of digital community organizing.
🇿🇦
South Africa
Recognized through Twitter/X and Instagram hashtag culture; associated with social justice movements and pop culture trending topics.
🇬🇧
UK & Ireland
Understood as both the hashtag symbol and the 'number' sign (less commonly called 'pound' to avoid confusion with the currency symbol £); widely used in social media contexts.
🇫🇷
France
Known as the 'dièse' or hashtag; used in social media contexts but the cultural association with the music 'sharp' sign persists among older generations.
🇩🇪
Germany
Recognized as the 'Raute' symbol or hashtag; in digital culture it functions identically to other Western nations, used for categorization and trending topics.
🇪🇸
Spain & Italy
Called 'almohadilla' (Spain) or 'cancelletto' (Italy) in traditional contexts; in modern usage universally recognized as the hashtag for social media categorization.
🇧🇷
Brazil
Recognized as 'jogo da velha' (tic-tac-toe grid) in older contexts, now fully absorbed into hashtag culture; heavily used in Instagram and TikTok activism and entertainment.
🇲🇽
Mexico
Understood as the hashtag through widespread social media use; used in trending political discussions, entertainment, and cultural campaigns on Twitter/X and TikTok.
🌎
Latin America
Pan-regionally recognized as the hashtag symbol; used across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X for cultural moments, political mobilization, and entertainment trends.
🇦🇺
Australia & NZ
Recognized as both the hashtag and the number sign; used casually in social media posts and occasionally in ironic commentary about hashtag overuse.
How its meaning shifted
- 2010
Primarily recognized as the telephone 'pound' key or number sign on keyboards; hashtag culture was just beginning on Twitter but the keycap emoji itself wasn't yet widely used.
- 2015
As hashtag culture exploded across Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, this emoji gained traction to visually represent hashtags in text-based digital communication.
- 2020
Deeply associated with hashtag activism (e.g., #BlackLivesMatter, #COVID19 discussions); also used in ironic meme culture to mock over-hashtagging on Instagram.
- 2026
Used both sincerely for hashtag/topic labeling and ironically in meta-commentary about social media algorithms; appears frequently in content creator strategy discussions and digital literacy conversations.
See it on every platform
Adjacent emojis
- Opposite
- muted speakerprohibitedno entry
- Often confused with
- musical sharpwafflefour leaf clover
- Can replace
- hash symbolinput numberslabel
Share & embed
Frequently asked
01What does the #️⃣ Keycap: # emoji mean?
A keycap emoji depicting the hash/pound/number sign (#) enclosed in a square button, representing the hashtag symbol or number sign on a keyboard or telephone keypad.
02What does #️⃣ mean on TikTok?
Signals hashtags, trends, or topic categories; also used self-referentially in posts commenting on hashtag culture.
03What does #️⃣ mean on WhatsApp?
Used to reference a number, list item, or topic tag within group chats — 'Check #️⃣3 on the list.'
04What does #️⃣ mean in Gen-Z slang?
Used to reference hashtags, categorization, numbering, or to signal that something belongs to a specific topic or trend. Sometimes used ironically to mock over-hashtagging culture.
05Is the #️⃣ emoji safe to use?
Represents the hash/pound key or hashtag symbol; used for categorization, numbering, and social media tagging. Completely benign in standard usage.
06What does #️⃣ mean in texting?
The hash keycap evokes a sense of order and categorization; psychologically linked to the need to organize, label, and belong to communities or trends.
07What is the shortcode for #️⃣?
The shortcode for Keycap: # is :keycap_:
08What does #️⃣ mean in dating?
Rarely used in flirting; might appear as '#1 fan' or '#you' in a playful, low-stakes affectionate message.
Safety & usage
- Safe meaning
- Represents the hash/pound key or hashtag symbol; used for categorization, numbering, and social media tagging. Completely benign in standard usage.
- Caution
- Occasionally used to precede hateful or harmful hashtags in extremist organizing, though the emoji itself carries no inherent toxic meaning.
The emoji itself is safe; context of the hashtag it precedes determines appropriateness. No known use as a coded harmful symbol.
How it looks across platforms
Appearance varies by platform and device. Google Noto, Twemoji, and OpenMoji are open-source.