The Brief: The mouse trap emoji features either a snap trap or a box propped up with a stick.

Bluesquiggle
DEEP DIVE

The mouse trap emoji (🪤) is part of Unicode’s 13.0 emoji release in 2020. Variations of the emoji depict either a snap trap or a box that’s propped up with a stick, all of which are baited with cheese. As this new emoji rolls out on different devices, it may be used to represent a literal rodent trap. As a metaphor, it can reference someone being trapped or fooled.