🇬🇷 flag: Greece Emoji — Meaning, Copy & Paste

What Does the flag: Greece Emoji 🇬🇷 Mean?

Nine equal horizontal stripes alternate blue and white, with a white cross set in a blue canton at the upper hoist. The nine stripes are said to represent the syllables of the Greek motto 'Eleftheria i Thanatos' (Freedom or Death) from the War of Independence against the Ottomans. Blue stands for the Aegean Sea and sky, white for the clouds and waves.

The cross honors Greek Orthodox Christianity, the dominant faith. Adopted in its modern form in 1822 with the current version finalized in 1978. The emoji shows up during Independence Day (March 25), Oxi Day (October 28), Greek Easter, Olympic Games references, and souvlaki-and-gyro food posts.

Travelers tag it with Santorini caldera, Acropolis, and Mykonos shots. Coded in Unicode 6.0 from GR, it pairs with column, olive, feta-cheese, and gyro emojis. The Greek diaspora across the US, Australia, and Germany uses it widely.

The flag has experienced over 90 different official versions since 1822, making it one of the most-revised national designs in modern history. Olympic Games openings always begin with Greece entering first in honor of the games' origins.