象征 (xiàng zhēng) means 'to symbolize' or 'symbol' — it refers to something that represents an abstract idea (e.g., a dove symbolizes peace). It differs from 表示 (biǎo shì 'to express/show'), which is more direct and often about opinions or signs, and from 意味着 (yì wèi zhe 'to mean/imply'), which focuses on logical consequence. As a noun, 象征 is a symbol; compare 标志 (biāo zhì) for a concrete logo/mark and 符号 (fú hào) for a written sign.