symbol
Definitions
A mark, sign, or object that represents an idea, quality, or thing.
象征；标志
A written character or shape standing for a sound, quantity, or element (e.g. in math or chemistry).
符号（如数学、化学符号）
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedsym- (together, a form of syn-) + bol (throw) = 'thrown together.' The Greeks broke a token in two; later the halves were thrown back together to prove a bond — they fit. A symbol is one half that, joined to an idea, matches it perfectly: a dove for peace, a heart for love.
Root bol still carries 14 more wordsWhy It Means This
The leap from 'throw together' to 'sign' makes sense once you know the broken-token story: a symbol is the visible piece that 'fits' an invisible idea. That is why the same word covers both a national flag (a thing standing for a country) and a chemical symbol like H (a letter standing for hydrogen) — both are stand-ins that match something larger.
Common Collocations
- 1.status symbol地位象征
- 2.symbol of hope希望的象征
- 3.national symbol国家象征
- 4.chemical symbol化学符号
Example Sentences
- 1.
The dove is a universal symbol of peace.
- 2.
A wedding ring is a symbol of lasting commitment.
- 3.
In chemistry, the symbol for gold is Au.
- 4.
Owning that car became a status symbol for him.
Easily Confused
symbol vs sign — A sign points directly and literally (a road sign, a 'no smoking' sign). A symbol stands for something deeper by association or convention (a dove is a symbol of peace, not a sign of it). If it just gives information → sign; if it carries layered meaning → symbol.