Water Pistol 🔫
Copy & Meaning

A water gun/squirt gun — the orange-colored toy that replaced the formerly realistic-looking gun emoji, making this one of emoji's most significant safety redesigns. Major platforms changed their gun emoji from realistic firearms to clearly toy water guns around 2018-2019 to avoid the emoji being used in contexts involving violence or threats.

The orange water gun now represents summer water play, outdoor fun, and the specific joy of soaking people on a hot day. Used for summer water activities, pool party content, water balloon fight announcements, the broader category of water play games, and any playful shooting game context where the toy nature is abundantly clear.