A paddlewheel is a mechanical device represented by the emoji 🚣‍♀️⚙️. It typically consists of a rotating wheel with attached paddles or blades that propel a boat or ship through the water. The combination of the rowing motion symbolized by the person rowing emoji 🚣‍♀️ and the mechanical component represented by the gear emoji ⚙️ illustrates the functioning of a paddlewheel, which harnesses human effort and converts it into rotational energy to propel watercraft.