So what’s the difference ... symbol that abstractly represents their brand. Apple’s iconic fruit is such a symbol, as is Airbnb’s new sexual Rorschach test of an symbol. Other examples ...

A sign has a singular meaning. A symbol has multiple meanings, shifting with context. For example, the red colour is a “stop” sign in traffic, but a “fertility” symbol in Hinduism ...

Consider the difference between a sign and a symbol. A symbol points beyond itself, while a sign does not. A Christmas tree is a sign of Christmas. It’s just a tree. The menorah is just a sign ...

See, for example, the way Victoria ... In the end, the difference between an Army that marches into battle beneath a symbol like the Rising Sun and an Army that marches into battle beneath symbols ...