A symbol typically has a dual nature: its literal presence and its ascribed meaning.

Symbols are more than just pictures; they are the fundamental building blocks of human communication that allow us to represent complex, abstract ideas through simple, visible objects or marks. Derived from the Greek word symbolon —meaning a token or means of identification—symbols function by "putting together" a literal object with a deeper, non-literal meaning. How Symbols Work

: The physical object itself, such as a white flag or a red rose.