1
- a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract象征：
the limousine was another symbol of his wealth and authority.
豪华轿车是他财富和权力的又一象征。
1.1
- a mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process, e.g. the letter or letters standing for a chemical element or a character in musical notation符号。
1.2
- a shape or sign used to represent something such as an organization, e.g. a red cross or a Star of David标志。
词源
late Middle English （denoting the Apostles' Creed）： from Latin symbolum 'symbol', Creed (as the mark of a Christian), from Greek sumbolon 'mark, token', from sun- 'with' + ballein 'to throw'.