🦑 squid Emoji — Meaning, Copy & Paste

What Does the squid Emoji 🦑 Mean?

Long body, pointed top, ten tentacles — the squid emoji joined the marine lineup in Unicode 9.0. The design distinguishes it clearly from the octopus (which has eight arms vs the squid's ten, including two longer tentacles). People use it for seafood content (calamari, ika sushi), marine biology posts, ink-themed content (squids produce ink, both literal and metaphorical), and Squid Game references — that show absolutely dominated the squid emoji's usage in 2021 and beyond.

It also shows up in Splatoon fan content. Pair with sushi or other seafood, or use solo for Squid Game references. The emoji has lived several lives at this point.

The actual squid populations in the deep sea are getting more attention as climate research expands. Giant squid documentary footage from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is a recurring viral moment. Squid Game's massive 2021 success made this emoji's usage explode, particularly during Halloween costume seasons that year and the next.