U+1F981 • Animals & Nature
Lion Emoji
Meaning
A friendly, cartoon-styled face of a lion—the large cat and king of the jungle—looking straight ahead.
Depicted as a golden-yellow lion face with a light- or dark-brown mane, white muzzle, and neutral expression. Does not have a full-bodied lion emoji counterpart.
A lion is represented as ♌ Leo in the Western zodiac.
Available as an Apple Animoji.
Apple's lion previously featured a timid-looking expression.
Also known as:
Technical Information
| Unicode | U+1F981 |
|---|---|
| Unicode Name | lion |
| Shortcode | :lion: |
| Category | Animals & Nature |
| Subcategory | animal-mammal |
| Version | E1.0 |
| Qualification | fully-qualified |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the 🦁 Lion emoji mean?
A friendly, cartoon-styled face of a lion—the large cat and king of the jungle—looking straight ahead. Depicted as a golden-yellow lion face with a light- or dark-brown mane, white muzzle, and neutral expression. Does not have a full-bodied lion emoji counterpart. A lion is represented as ♌ Leo in the Western zodiac. Available as an Apple Animoji. Apple's lion previously featured a timid-looking expression.
How do I copy the 🦁 emoji?
Click the "Copy Emoji" button on this page, or select the emoji (🦁) and press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Cmd+C (Mac).
What is the Unicode for Lion?
The Unicode for the Lion emoji is U+1F981.
On which platforms can I use the 🦁 emoji?
You can use the Lion emoji on all major platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and all social media apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
How to Use the Lion Emoji
In Text Messages
"That was hilarious 🦁"
"I'm so relieved 🦁"
Perfect for expressing relief, nervous laughter, or awkward situations.
On Social Media
Captions: "When you barely make it on time 🦁"
Comments: "This is literally me 🦁"
Great for relatable content and reactions.
Professional Use
Emails: Use sparingly for lightening the tone
Slack/Teams: "Finally fixed that bug 🦁"
Adds personality to workplace communication.
Creative Combinations
🦁💦 (emphasized relief)
🦁😅 (double relief)
Combine with other emojis for unique expressions.