🦻 Ear with Hearing Aid emoji meaning
🦻 represents hearing loss, being deaf or hard of hearing, and hearing aids, and it is often used in posts about accessibility. The Apple artwork shows a yellow ear with a grey hearing aid behind it and a thin clear tube leading into the ear.
U+1F9BB
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What 🦻 means
The tone is mostly neutral and respectful. People who use hearing aids add it to bios or messages to explain why they prefer texts to calls, or to ask others to speak clearly. It also appears in posts about hearing tests, audiologists and disability awareness. Some people use it jokingly to say "what, I can't hear you" or to pretend they missed something, but this can feel mocking to deaf and hard of hearing people, so it is best used with care. For general listening or gossip, 👂 is the usual choice.
In texting
It often means "I use a hearing aid" or "I have trouble hearing, please text." Among friends it is sometimes a joke about not hearing something.
On Instagram and TikTok
Deaf and hard of hearing creators add it to bios and captions about hearing aids, captions and accessibility.
🦻 How people use it
- Telling someone you use hearing aids
- Asking for texts or captions instead of calls
- Sharing hearing test or audiologist updates
- Posting about accessibility awareness
Example messages
Can you text me instead? Calls are hard for me 🦻
Got my new hearing aids today, everything is so loud 🦻
Please turn on captions for the meeting 🦻
Mom finally agreed to a hearing test 🦻
Common 🦻 combinations
- 🦻🤟Deaf or hard of hearing community and sign language
🦻 vs similar emojis
| 🦻 vs 👂 | 👂 is a plain ear used for listening or "I'm all ears," while 🦻 shows a hearing aid and points to hearing loss. |
|---|---|
| 🦻 vs 🧏 | 🧏 is a deaf person touching their ear, a whole person rather than just the ear with a device. |
Emoji details
| Name | ear with hearing aid |
|---|---|
| Codepoints | U+1F9BB |
| Category | People |
| Keywords | accessibility, aid, ear, hard, hearing |
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Skin tones and genders
People emojis include five skin tones and gender variants as separate images.
Usage
Apple emoji artwork is Apple's property. Use for personal or non-commercial purposes; check Apple's policy for commercial use.
FAQ
What does the 🦻 ear with hearing aid emoji mean?
🦻 represents hearing loss, being deaf or hard of hearing, and hearing aids, and it is often used in posts about accessibility. The Apple artwork shows a yellow ear with a grey hearing aid behind it and a thin clear tube leading into the ear.
Is it offensive to use 🦻 as a joke?
It can be. Using it to say "I can't hear you" is common among friends, but it may feel like mocking to people who live with hearing loss.
What emoji means deaf?
🧏 is the main deaf person emoji, and 🦻 is used for hearing aids and being hard of hearing. Many people use them together with 🤟.
Are the backgrounds transparent?
Yes, every PNG has a transparent background.