Balloon goes first, the only one of its kind. CLDR, Unicode's list of search words, files six emoji under balloon, and the other five are speech and thought bubbles. Balloon emoji copy and paste adds 69 tiles of our own.
Read the full guide
The hot air balloon is missing
No emoji name, CLDR search word or Unicode character name says hot air, airship, blimp, zeppelin or helium. Unicode's transport-air group holds thirteen emoji and no balloon. Parachute comes nearest. The combo Hot air balloon, improvised stacks a balloon, a flame and a basket; the ASCII Hot air balloon arrives assembled.
Colour sold separately
None of the balloon's CLDR words is a colour. So A balloon in every colour sets a coloured circle in front of it: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black or white. Emoji has nine circle colours and pink is not one, so Pink balloon borrows Pink heart, Emoji 15.0. Red circle emoji has the circles alone.
Tips
Search takes colours: gold finds the yellow balloon, wedding the white. Sharp lines up five of the Natural enemies.
Text style makes Left speech bubble, Right anger bubble, Wind face and Cloud plain characters. Balloon has no text form.
Bubbles, Emoji 14.0, is the newest single emoji here and an empty box on older phones. The seven drawings are 11 to 24 columns wide.
Questions and answers
Which emoji is the balloon emoji?
Balloon, U+1F388, Emoji 0.6. CLDR files it under four words: balloon, birthday, celebrate and celebration. No joined sequence includes it, so there is exactly one. In Unicode's ordering it sits in the event group, between Sparkles and Party popper.
Why do speech bubbles come up when I search for balloon?
Unicode names two of them Speech balloon and Thought balloon, and its notes call the first a comic book conversation bubble. CLDR files all five talking emoji under both balloon and bubble. The party balloon gets balloon only. For the soap kind, see bubble emoji.
How do I type a balloon without emoji?
Balloons that are plain text has nine characters. The best is ฯ, the Greek letter archaic koppa: a circle on a stalk. Six Unicode character names hold the word balloon: three emoji and three Dingbat asterisks, all here. Plain-text balloon lines drops to capital Qs.
๐BalloonU+1F388. The only one of the six emoji CLDR files under balloon that floats. Its other words are birthday, celebrate and celebration. No text form and no skin tones. Unicode gives it a name and no notes, so officially it has no colour. Emoji 0.6.
๐๏ธโ๐จ๏ธEye in speech bubbleU+1F441 U+FE0F U+200D U+1F5E8 U+FE0F. An eye and a speech bubble held together by a zero width joiner. CLDR files it under balloon and witness. Where the pair is not supported it arrives as two emoji. Emoji 2.0.
๐จ๏ธLeft speech bubbleU+1F5E8 U+FE0F. Named a bubble, filed under balloon anyway. It has a text form. Emoji 2.0.
๐ฏ๏ธRight anger bubbleU+1F5EF U+FE0F. A balloon with spikes on, which is rarely good news for a balloon. Unicode's notes call it shout right. It has a text form. Emoji 0.7.
๐ฌSpeech balloonU+1F4AC. Unicode names it Speech balloon and its notes add comic book conversation bubble, which explains what it is doing on this page. Emoji 0.6.
๐ญThought balloonU+1F4AD. The other character Unicode itself names a balloon. CLDR files it under daydream, idea and wonder. Emoji 1.0.
Show all 75 things with a balloon in them (69 more)
Where balloons turn up 7
๐Birthday cakeU+1F382. The balloon and the cake share two CLDR words, birthday and celebration. Emoji 0.6.
๐ Carousel horseU+1F3A0. Unicode's notes say amusement park, where a balloon costs the most and lasts the least. Emoji 0.6.
๐ชCircus tentU+1F3AA. CLDR gives it two words, circus and tent. Unicode's notes add a third: event. Emoji 0.6.
๐คกClown faceU+1F921. The traditional supplier of balloon animals. CLDR gives it two words, clown and face. Emoji 3.0.
๐Confetti ballU+1F38A. Unicode's notes give it one other name: congratulations. CLDR files it under confetti and party. Emoji 0.6.
๐Party popperU+1F389. The balloon's neighbour on one side in Unicode's own ordering; Sparkles is on the other. CLDR files it under hooray, tada and woohoo. Emoji 0.6.
๐ฅณPartying faceU+1F973. Unicode names it Face with party horn and party hat. No balloon in the name, though one is usually nearby. Emoji 11.0.
Air, and other things in it 7
๐ซงBubblesU+1FAE7. The only emoji CLDR files under floating. The word float went to a ring buoy. Emoji 14.0.
โ๏ธCloudU+2601 U+FE0F. Where a released balloon is headed. CLDR gives it two words, cloud and weather. It has a text form. Emoji 0.6.
๐จDashing awayU+1F4A8. A puff of air. Unicode names it Dash symbol and its notes give the cartoonists' word for it: briffits. CLDR files it under gone and smoke. Emoji 0.6.
๐ชถFeatherU+1FAB6. CLDR files it under flight and light, which is the whole job description of a balloon. Emoji 13.0.
๐ชKiteU+1FA81. The other thing on a string. CLDR files it under fly, kite and soar. Emoji 12.0.
๐ชParachuteU+1FA82. The nearest emoji to a hot air balloon: fabric, air and a person underneath, going the other way. Emoji 12.0.
๐ฌ๏ธWind faceU+1F32C U+FE0F. One of three emoji CLDR files under blow. Unicode's notes call it simply wind. It has a text form. Emoji 0.7.
Natural enemies 6
๐ตCactusU+1F335. CLDR files it under desert, drought and plant. It does not warn anybody. Emoji 0.6.
๐ฅCollisionU+1F4A5. The result. CLDR files it under boom and explode, and Unicode names it Collision symbol. Emoji 0.6.
๐ฆHedgehogU+1F994. The only emoji CLDR files under spiny. Means no harm. Emoji 5.0.
๐PushpinU+1F4CC. One of three emoji CLDR files under pin. It files pop under popcorn and a firecracker, and takes no position on balloons. Emoji 0.6.
๐งทSafety pinU+1F9F7. The name is relative. CLDR files it under pin, diaper and punk. Emoji 11.0.
๐ชกSewing needleU+1FAA1. CLDR files it under needle, sew and stitches. Emoji 13.0.
A balloon in every colour 9
โซ๐Black balloonBlack circle, then balloon. For the milestone birthday nobody asked for. Unicode names the circle Medium black circle.
๐ต๐Blue balloonBlue circle, then balloon. Blue circle is as old as the red one: Emoji 0.6.
๐ข๐Green balloonGreen circle, then balloon. Emoji 12.0, so a very old phone shows an empty box and then a balloon.
๐ ๐Orange balloonOrange circle, then balloon. Orange is one of five circle colours added in Emoji 12.0. The fifth is brown, left out here on a hunch.
๐ฉท๐Pink balloonPink heart, then balloon. Emoji has nine circle colours and none of them is pink, so a heart stands in. Pink heart is Emoji 15.0.
๐ฃ๐Purple balloonPurple circle, then balloon. Purple circle is Emoji 12.0, the same release as orange, yellow and green.
๐ด๐Red balloonRed circle, then balloon. The circle names the colour so the balloon does not have to. Both are Emoji 0.6.
โช๐White balloonWhite circle, then balloon. Weddings, mostly. Unicode names the circle Medium white circle.
๐ก๐Yellow balloonYellow circle, then balloon. The nearest circle to gold. CLDR gives it two words, circle and yellow.
Balloons that are plain text 9
ๆฐฃAir, as a Han characterU+6C23. Unihan defines it as air, gas, steam, vapor; spirit.
็Ball, as a Han characterU+7403. Unihan defines it as ball, sphere, globe; round.
โฒBalloon on a short stringU+26B2 Neuter. A circle with a line straight down, kept in Miscellaneous Symbols. It shows as an empty box where no font has it.
โซฏBalloon on a stickU+2AEF Vertical line with circle above. From Supplemental Mathematical Operators. The name is the whole description. It shows as an empty box where no font has it.
ฯBalloon, plain textU+03D9 Greek small letter archaic koppa. A circle on a stalk. Unicode's notes say the Q-shaped archaic koppas are ordinary letters that can also stand for the number 90 in classical texts. Ordinary text, so it takes the colour and size of your words.
โBalloon-spoked asteriskU+2749 Balloon-spoked asterisk. One of three Dingbats with balloon in the name: each spoke swells at the end. Unicode's notes give it one other name, jack.
โฃFour balloon-spoked asteriskU+2723 Four balloon-spoked asterisk. The four-spoke version. Six character names in Unicode hold the word balloon: three emoji and these three asterisks. It shows as an empty box where no font has it.
โคHeavy four balloon-spoked asteriskU+2724 Heavy four balloon-spoked asterisk. The same four spokes, inflated further.
โUp, plain textU+2191 Upwards arrow. Unicode's notes give it one use in phonetics: egressive airflow, which is air on its way out. Ordinary text, so it takes the colour and size of your words.
Invitations, banners and warnings 11
๐๐๐โจ๐๐๐Border row, mirrored around the sparkles
๐ Another year, still afloat ๐For a birthday with a larger number on it
๐ Congratulations ๐Any occasion, which is the point of balloons
๐ Do not let go ๐Instructions
๐ Get well soon ๐The one that gets tied to the end of a bed
๐ Grand opening ๐Tie one to the sign
๐ Happy birthday ๐What most balloons are asked to say
๐ Pop by any time ๐An invitation the balloon did not write
๐๐๐ Welcome home ๐๐๐For the front door
๐ Welcome, little one ๐ผFor the new arrival
๐ You're invited ๐The top of the invitation
Plain-text balloon lines 5
ฯ ฯ ฯNo emoji: three koppas on their stalks
โ Let's party โNo emoji: a balloon-spoked asterisk each side
* POP *Plain ASCII: how it ends
Q Q QPlain ASCII: three capital Qs, or three balloons with short strings
( YAY )~~~Plain ASCII: a balloon lying down, with a word in it
Balloon text art 7
Balloon dogTwo ears, a nose with the knot on it, four legs and a tail, all from one balloon if you are good. Plain ASCII, 24 columns wide.
Balloon with a word on itType your own word over HOORAY: there are 18 columns between the sides. Plain ASCII, 20 columns wide.
Bunch of three balloonsThree strings, one hand, which you supply. Plain ASCII, 18 columns wide.
Hot air balloonThe balloon that has no emoji: envelope, ropes and a basket for two, if they are small. Plain ASCII, 18 columns wide.
One balloonA balloon, a knot and a string that wanders. Plain ASCII, 11 columns wide.
The one that got awayA small person, arms up, and a balloon already out of reach. Plain ASCII, 18 columns wide.
PoppedA bang, and the string left holding nothing. Plain ASCII, 15 columns wide.
Balloon combos 8
๐๐ฉBalloon animalBalloon, then poodle. CLDR files the poodle under fluffy. The balloon version squeaks instead.
๐ฎโ๐จ๐Blowing one upFace exhaling, then balloon. Face exhaling is one of three emoji CLDR files under blow. It is also filed under exhausted, which comes later.
๐๐๐Bunch of threeBalloon 3 times. Three is a bunch. Two is just two balloons.
๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๏ธ๐ฏ๏ธ๐๏ธโ๐จ๏ธEvery talking balloonSpeech balloon, then thought balloon, then left speech bubble, then right anger bubble, then eye in speech bubble. The five emoji CLDR files under balloon that will never leave the ground.
๐๐ฅ๐งบHot air balloon, improvisedBalloon, then fire, then basket. There is no hot air balloon emoji. Balloon on top, flame in the middle, basket underneath: read it downwards.
๐๐๐ฅPopBalloon, then pushpin, then collision. Balloon, pin, consequence.
๐ง๐โฌ๏ธ๐ขShould have held onChild, then balloon, then up arrow, then crying face. A child, a balloon, a direction and a reaction. CLDR files the crying face under miss.
๐๐ฆWater balloonBalloon, then sweat droplets. No emoji name or CLDR word says water balloon. Unicode's notes give the drops their comic-strip name, plewds.
How this list was compiled: Built by script on 2026-09-19, not typed by hand. The emoji, their names, code points and Emoji version numbers come from emoji-test.txt, version 18.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/emoji/emoji-test.txt); names are the CLDR short names printed in that file, in sentence case. The search words are from the CLDR English annotations (https://github.com/unicode-org/cldr/blob/main/common/annotations/en.xml and https://github.com/unicode-org/cldr/blob/main/common/annotationsDerived/en.xml, main branch). CLDR lists the word balloon for six emoji: speech balloon, eye in speech bubble, left speech bubble, right anger bubble, thought balloon and balloon. All six open the page, the balloon first. It lists blow for three emoji (face exhaling, leaf fluttering in wind, wind face), pin for three (pushpin, round pushpin, safety pin), pop for popcorn and firecracker, floating for bubbles only and spiny for hedgehog only, and no emoji name or search word says hot air, airship, blimp, zeppelin, helium or water balloon. In emoji-test.txt the balloon sits in the event subgroup between sparkles and party popper, the transport-air subgroup has thirteen emoji and none is a balloon, and there are nine coloured circles, none of them pink. The groups after the first are our own choice. The text forms come from emoji-variation-sequences.txt, version 18.0.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/ucd/emoji/emoji-variation-sequences.txt). Every character that is not an emoji was checked against UnicodeData.txt, version 18.0.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/ucd/UnicodeData.txt), and a note that names a character uses its name from that file. In that file six character names hold the word balloon: Balloon, Speech balloon, Thought balloon and three balloon-spoked asterisks in the Dingbats block. None holds airship, blimp, zeppelin or helium. Notes about what a character is used for come from the annotations in NamesList.txt, version 18.0.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/ucd/NamesList.txt). The notes on Speech balloon (comic book conversation bubble), Right anger bubble (shout right), Dash symbol (running dash, briffits), Splashing sweat symbol (plewds), Wind blowing face (wind), Confetti ball (congratulations), Circus tent (event), Carousel horse (amusement park), Balloon-spoked asterisk (jack), Upwards arrow (IPA: egressive airflow) and the archaic koppas (a numeric value of 90 in classical and pre-classical texts) come from there, as do the block names. Unicode's entry for the balloon itself has no notes. Meanings of Chinese characters come from the kDefinition field of Unihan_Readings.txt in Unihan.zip, version 18.0.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/ucd/Unihan.zip). The 9 colour pairs, 11 lines, 5 plain-text lines, 7 ASCII drawings and 8 combos are this site's own work: the emoji in them are fetched by name from emoji-test.txt and the drawings were made for this page. All sources were checked on 2026-09-19. Licence: own work