🫏

There are two options here:

1. If you have a modern phone , you see a donkey (gray, with long ears).
2. If you have an older phone or a different brand , you may see a spot/puddle/dirt (this is the older version of this symbol).

This emoji has been officially called "Donkey" since 2022 and was added to Unicode 14.0 in 2021 and to emoji sets in 2022. Visually, it is a gray or brown animal with characteristic long ears, a short mane, and a tufted tail.

Informal names: Donkey, little donkey, gray workhorse, "Eeyore" (from Winnie the Pooh), "Donkey from Shrek" (a reference to the donkey from the cartoon).

Meaning and associations

The spectrum of meanings ranges from positive to offensive:

• Hard work and endurance: The donkey is a symbol of hard, monotonous labor. "Works like a donkey" means very hard and without complaint.
• Stubbornness: A classic trait is "stubborn as a mule." Used to describe someone who won't change their mind, no matter what.
• Modesty and unpretentiousness: The donkey is a simple animal that does not require luxury.
• Stupidity (negative): In some contexts, an insult meaning "as dumb as a mule."
• Friendliness and Loyalty: In pop culture, Donkey from Shrek is a funny, loyal, and talkative friend.
• Childhood and nostalgia: A reference to Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, a sad but sweet character.
• Politics (rare): In the United States, the donkey is the symbol of the Democratic Party (as opposed to the elephant for the Republicans).

From a man and from a woman

From a man:

• Self-irony: "I'm like a donkey today - I've been working hard all day 🫏" (meaning tiredness).
• Joke on a friend: "You're as stubborn as a donkey, but I love you."
• Compliment of endurance: Rare, but can mean "you pulled all the work."
• A meme reference: If a man is a Shrek fan, he uses it as a symbol of friendship and humor.

From a woman:

• A joke about a man: "You're my stubborn donkey 🫏" - with love and irony.
• About myself: "I'm like a donkey at work, all busy."
• Negative: Very rare, but can be an insult ("you're acting like an ass").
• In the context of childhood/nostalgia: Reference to Eeyore or cartoons.

Internet slang

On the internet, the donkey has several specific meanings:

• "Toil like a donkey" : To work until one is exhausted. The phrase "I'm working like a donkey today 🫏" is very popular.
• "Donkey stubbornness" : Unwillingness to change one's mind even in the face of facts.
• "Shrek and Donkey" : A reference to memes from the cartoon. Donkey is a funny, talkative, yet loyal friend. Used to symbolize a strong friendship.
• "Eeyore" : A symbol of melancholy, sadness, and depression ("I'm like Eeyore today - I lost my tail 🫏").
• "Donkey Kong" : Rarely, but gamers may use this as a reference to the game.
• "Democratic Donkey" : In US political memes, the donkey is a symbol of the Democrats.

Usage

This emoji is used by:

• In posts about work and fatigue ("pulling the project like a donkey").
• In jokes about stubborn people.
• In memes and pop culture references (Shrek, Winnie the Pooh).
• In humorous posts about relationships ("we're like Shrek and Donkey - friends forever").
• In an agricultural context (real donkeys on farms).
• Rarely - in political discussions (symbol of the US Democratic Party).

How it came about (a brief history)

The 🫏 emoji was added to Unicode 14.0 in September 2021 and to the Emoji 14.0 set in 2022. It was long awaited—requests for a donkey had been popping up since 2015. Finally, designers added it to fill the gap in hoofed emojis.

Interesting facts

1. Two display options: On older platforms (Android before 2022), this symbol was displayed as a dirty puddle or stain (due to old code). So if you sent a donkey and your contact saw a puddle, it means they have an old phone!
2. National symbol: In some countries (for example, the Greek islands) the donkey is a national animal and a symbol of tourism.
3. The most famous donkey in history: Donkey from Shrek (voiced by Eddie Murphy), as well as Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh (a symbol of melancholy).
4. Long-Lived: Donkeys can live 30-50 years, which is longer than most horses.
5. In US politics: The donkey has been the symbol of the Democratic Party since 1828 (Andrew Jackson used it in cartoons).

Combinations with other emoji

• Hard work: 🫏💻😩 (donkey, computer, tired face)
• Stubbornness: 🫏🧱🚫 (donkey, wall, prohibition — "stubborn as a donkey")
• Friendship (Shrek): 🫏🟢🏰 (donkey, Shrek's green face, castle)
• Sadness (Eeyore): 🫏🌧️🥺 (donkey, rain, sad face)
• Agriculture: 🫏🌾🚜 (donkey, wheat, tractor)
• Travel: 🫏🧳🏔️ (donkey, suitcase, mountains – as a pack animal)
• Humor: 🫏😂🤡 (donkey, laughter, clown — meme context)
• US Politics (Rare): 🫏🇺🇸🗳️ (Donkey, US flag, voting)

🫏 for SEO website promotion

This emoji would fit perfectly:

• Motivation and self-development: Posts about hard work, endurance, and "donkey work."
• Humor and memes: Publics with references to Shrek, Winnie the Pooh, and funny pictures.
• Work and career: Blogs about freelancing, startups, and challenging projects ("I'm like a donkey in this company").
• Animal blogs and farming: Real stories about donkeys and animal care.
• Psychology: Posts about stubbornness as a character trait.
• Travel: Descriptions of trips to Greece, Egypt, and other countries where donkeys are part of the culture.
• Political blogs (USA): Rarely, discussion of elections and party symbols.
• Children's and nostalgic blogs: References to Winnie the Pooh and Soviet cartoons.

Important warning

If your conversation partner sees 🫏 not as a donkey, but as a dirty spot or puddle , they're using an outdated OS or app (pre-2022). Update your emoji fonts so everyone sees the donkey 🐴🙂