Broken Heart Emoji 💔
Meaning
The universal symbol for grief, loss, and romantic breakup.
This emoji shows deep sadness or hurt feelings. It often means someone is heartbroken or going through a tough breakup.
A red heart symbol with a jagged crack running through its middle.
It means 'I'm feeling really sad,' 'My heart is broken,' or 'This breakup hurts a lot.'
What Broken Heart Means in a Text
The same emoji can land very differently depending on who receives it. Here is how 💔 usually reads in each situation.
| Who you send it to | How it reads |
|---|---|
| New crush | Never use here |
| Long-term partner | Deep hurt or sadness |
| Friend | Sympathy for their pain |
| Family | Shared grief or sadness |
Good times to send it
- A close friend who knows you're sad.
- A family member after bad news.
- An ex-partner during a difficult breakup.
When to think twice
- When someone shares good news.
- In a casual, lighthearted chat.
Popular Broken Heart Combinations
Pairing emojis changes the message. These combinations are the most common ones people use.
- 💔😭 = Crying from heartbreak
- 💔🩹 = Healing a broken heart
- 💔😔 = Feeling sad and broken
Example messages
I can't believe we broke up. My heart is truly broken 💔.
Heard about your pet. So sorry, I know you're hurting 💔.
Where Broken Heart Came From
The broken heart emoji first appeared in 2010. Its meaning has stayed mostly the same over time, showing feelings of sadness or loss.
How it looks on different phones
Apple's broken heart is a classic red heart split down the middle. Google's looks similar, often with a clear zig-zag crack. Samsung's version usually has more distinct, jagged edges where the heart is broken. Twitter/X displays a simpler, flatter red heart with a noticeable split.
Easy to mix up with
- ❤️🩹 People can confuse it with the Mending Heart because both show a heart in pain, but 💔 means it's broken and ❤️🩹 means it's healing.
Who Reads It Differently
Younger users might use this emoji for minor upsets, like a canceled party. Older people often save it for truly deep feelings of loss or heartbreak.
Unwritten rules
- Do use for real sadness or grief.
- Don't use for very small problems.
- Do show empathy for someone's pain.
More ways people use it
I'm so sad my favorite show ended 💔.
I miss you so much right now 💔.
That news really broke my heart 💔.
My plans got canceled again 💔.
How to Type Broken Heart
You do not have to copy and paste every time. Every emoji has its own code, and most devices let you type one directly.
- On Windows: press Win + . (the full stop key) to open the emoji picker, then search for Broken Heart.
- On Mac: press Ctrl + Cmd + Space and search for Broken Heart.
- On iPhone or Android: tap the smiley on your keyboard and use the search box.
- In Slack or Discord: type the shortcode :broken_heart:.
Technical details
| Emoji | 💔 |
| Unicode code point | U+1F494 |
| Official Unicode name | Broken Heart |
| Shortcode | :broken_heart: |
Where to Go Next
mending heart emoji — The next chapter — the same heart with a plaster on, healing.. heartbreak story emoji — The full three-emoji version: heartbreak, tears and a rainy day..
If you are picking the right words as well as the right symbol, our AI love letter generator turns a few details into a full message. For something shorter, browse romantic text messages you can copy straight into a chat, or learn how to say "I love you" in over 60 languages if the person you are texting speaks another language.