U+26D3 · emoji since 2014
The chains are heavy metal links, a symbol of being bound or locked up. It means restraint, strength, and breaking free.
It also marks bold jewelry and tough aesthetics, and tags the satisfying idea of breaking the chains that hold you.
In texting, ⛓️ does not carry a widely used hidden or slang meaning, so you can usually take it at face value. People send it just as it looks, to add a little visual touch or set the mood of a message. Only a handful of emoji have a separate texting code, and ⛓️ is not really one of them.
Its official Unicode name is the Chains emoji. In everyday chat most people just call it the chains emoji or describe what it shows. Copy and paste it from the button at the top of this page.
The ⛓️ leads off a short phrase, and the rest of the words are written in cipher, every letter disguised as another emoji. Tap decipher to reveal the whole line.
Or make your own cipher in the translator.