Meaning
The peace symbol ☮ is a circle with a vertical line and two downward arms. Gerald Holtom designed it in 1958 for the British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), combining the semaphore flag signals for N and D (nuclear disarmament) inside a circle. It spread through anti-war protests in the 1960s and is now a global shorthand for peace, nonviolence, and protest.
It is not an ancient Buddhist emblem. The peace symbol emoji ☮️ is the same CND mark rendered as a colored icon. The peace symbol hand ✌️ is a separate sign: two fingers raised in a V, used for victory, peace, or a casual photo pose. Buddhist peace is more often shown with the Abhaya mudra (open palm facing out) or the dharma wheel ☸, not the CND circle.
A peace lily is also unrelated — it is a houseplant (Spathiphyllum) named for its white spathes, not a Unicode symbol. When people search “peace lily symbol,” they usually want the plant’s meaning (calm, sympathy, indoor air) rather than ☮.
Copy ☮ for text and bios, or ✌️ when you want the hand. Pair either with context so the mark still points back to its history instead of becoming empty decoration.
Origin
Designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom for the UK Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; popularized worldwide through 1960s peace movements.
Cultural variations
In protest and counterculture it still signals anti-war and nuclear-disarmament values. In fashion and tattoos it is often a general “peace and love” icon. The V-hand ✌️ can mean peace, victory, or just “cheese” in photos, depending on region. Buddhist peace imagery uses different marks (mudras, dharma wheel, lotus) and should not be collapsed into the CND symbol.
Frequently asked questions
What does the peace symbol emoji mean?+
The peace symbol emoji ☮️ is the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament sign from 1958. People use it to mean peace, nonviolence, protest, or a chill, anti-conflict vibe in captions and bios.
What is the peace symbol hand?+
The peace symbol hand is ✌️ — two fingers in a V. It can mean peace, victory, or a casual pose in photos. It is a gesture, not the same as the circled ☮ mark.
Is the peace symbol a Buddhist or Buddha symbol?+
No. The circled peace sign is a 1950s nuclear-disarmament design, not a traditional Buddha symbol. Buddhist peace is more often shown with an open-palm Abhaya mudra, a dharma wheel, or a lotus.
What is a peace lily symbol?+
A peace lily is a houseplant, not a Unicode character. People associate it with calm, sympathy, and clean indoor air. If you need a text mark for peace, copy ☮ or ✌️ instead.
How do I copy and paste the peace symbol?+
Click ☮ on this page to copy it, then paste with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V. On Windows you can also use Alt+9774. The emoji version is ☮️.