hippopotamus Emoji
๐ฆ ยท U+1F99B ยท Emoji 11.0
What does the hippopotamus emoji mean?
Meaning reviewed and updated July 2026 ยท Unicode data from the official Unicode Standard
When conversations turn to exotic animals or humorous references to large appetites, the ๐ฆ hippopotamus emoji is often reached for, defined as a symbol representing the large, semi-aquatic mammal native to Africa, and also used figuratively to describe someone or something as slow-moving or voracious, with slang uses extending to playful teasing about eating habits or size, and by extension, to convey a sense of awkwardness or clumsiness in a lighthearted manner. The emoji's meaning is closely tied to the real-life characteristics of hippos, known for their distinctive appearance and behaviors. In digital communication, the ๐ฆ emoji serves as a visual shorthand for these associations, adding a touch of whimsy and humor to texts and posts. Its usage reflects the complexities of online communication, where a single symbol can convey multiple layers of meaning.
How the hippopotamus emoji is used
The ๐ฆ hippopotamus emoji is frequently used in social media captions and comments to add a playful touch to discussions about wildlife, conservation, or humorous observations about everyday life, with a tone that is often lighthearted and tongue-in-cheek, reflecting the emoji's comedic potential. On platforms like TikTok and Twitter, the ๐ฆ emoji is used to create humorous skits or memes, often exaggerating the hippo's size or appetite for comedic effect, and appealing to a younger audience familiar with internet culture and memes. The emoji's usage also varies across different age groups, with younger users more likely to use it in a joking or ironic manner, while older users may employ it more literally, as a reference to the animal itself. In texting, the ๐ฆ emoji can be used to soften the tone of a message or add a layer of humor to an otherwise straightforward conversation.
hippopotamus emoji examples
- just saw a hippo at the zoo and I'm in love ๐ฆ
- you're eating all the snacks again aren't you ๐ฆ
How to copy the hippopotamus emoji
To use the hippopotamus emoji, tap the Copy button above, then paste it (long-press then Paste on mobile, or Ctrl+V / Cmd+V on desktop) anywhere you can type: messages, captions, usernames, bios and documents. It copies the real Unicode character (U+1F99B), so it works on every app and platform, no download needed.
Also known as
hippopotamus emoji on different platforms
How the hippopotamus emoji looks across emoji sets. These designs come from openly-licensed sets (Twemoji, Google Noto, OpenMoji). See image credits.



hippopotamus Emoji Details
| Emoji | ๐ฆ |
| Name | hippopotamus |
| Category | Animals & Nature |
| Codepoints | U+1F99B |
| Shortcode | :hippopotamus: |
| Emoji version | 11.0 |
| Unicode version | 11.0 |
hippopotamus Emoji FAQ
When conversations turn to exotic animals or humorous references to large appetites, the ๐ฆ hippopotamus emoji is often reached for, defined as a symbol representing the large, semi-aquatic mammal native to Africa, and also used figuratively to describe someone or something as slow-moving or voracious, with slang uses extending to playful teasing about eating habits or size, and by extension, to convey a sense of awkwardness or clumsiness in a lighthearted manner. The emoji's meaning is closely tied to the real-life characteristics of hippos, known for their distinctive appearance and behaviors.
Tap the Copy button at the top of this page, then paste ๐ฆ wherever you type. Because it copies the real Unicode character, it works in every app on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac.
It is U+1F99B, introduced in Emoji version 11.0 (Unicode 11.0). Its shortcode is :hippopotamus:.
People also search for the hippopotamus emoji as animal, hippo.