Image vs. Symbol — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 13, 2024
An image is a visual representation meant to depict objects, scenes, or ideas directly, while a symbol is a sign or object representing a concept, value, or idea indirectly.
Difference Between Image and Symbol
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
An image captures or represents visual details in a way that can be directly observed and recognized. It includes photographs, drawings, and digital graphics, aiming to replicate or interpret the appearance of its subject. Whereas a symbol, though it can be visual, uses representation to convey meanings, ideas, or concepts that are not immediately apparent from its appearance alone, relying on cultural or contextual understanding to communicate.
Images are often used for documentation, entertainment, and communication, providing a direct visual experience that can be universally understood without the need for translation. On the other hand, symbols require a shared understanding or context to convey their intended message, such as religious icons, logos, or mathematical notations, which might be interpreted differently across different cultures or groups.
The creation of an image can involve various techniques and mediums, including photography, painting, and digital rendering, each with its own set of skills and aesthetic considerations. In contrast, symbols are created through a process of abstraction, where a specific form is chosen to represent something beyond its literal appearance, often requiring a consensus or tradition to establish its meaning.
Images can evoke emotional responses directly related to their content, such as joy, sadness, or nostalgia, by depicting recognizable scenes, faces, or moments. Symbols, however, often evoke meaning or reaction based on learned associations, such as the feeling of peace associated with a dove or the recognition of danger with a skull and crossbones.
In the digital age, the distinction between images and symbols can sometimes blur, as icons and emojis act as symbols with standardized meanings, yet they are also images with visual characteristics. Symbols can be included within images to add layers of meaning, and images can become symbolic through cultural association or widespread recognition.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A visual representation designed to replicate or interpret reality.
A sign or object representing an idea, concept, or other abstraction.
Purpose
To depict or convey visual information directly.
To represent ideas, concepts, or relationships indirectly.
Interpretation
Generally universal, based on visual recognition.
Requires cultural, contextual, or specific knowledge to understand.
Mediums
Photography, painting, digital graphics.
Icons, logos, gestures, letters, numbers.
Emotional Response
Direct, based on content's visual appeal or subject.
Indirect, based on the meanings or values associated with the symbol.
Compare with Definitions
Image
A photograph capturing a moment in time.
An image of the Grand Canyon at sunrise reveals the vastness of nature.
Symbol
Mathematical symbols expressing operations or relations.
The “+” symbol denotes addition.
Image
A painting depicting a scene or subject.
The artist’s image of the bustling city street was vibrant and full of life.
Symbol
Brand logos representing corporate identities.
The company’s logo is a globally recognized symbol of quality.
Image
A digital graphic created on a computer.
The graphic designer created an image to represent the brand’s values.
Symbol
A heart shape representing love or affection.
The symbol on the card conveyed the sender’s feelings.
Image
The general impression that a person, organization, or product presents to the public
She strives to project an image of youth
Symbol
A national flag representing a country’s identity.
The flag is a symbol of freedom and patriotism for its people.
Image
A mental picture formed by the imagination.
She had a clear image of her childhood home in her mind.
Symbol
Religious icons symbolizing spiritual beliefs.
The cross is a central symbol in Christianity.
Image
A likeness or representation of a person, often in art.
The gallery displayed images of historical figures.
Symbol
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
The chemical symbol for helium is He
The symbol r in Figure 5 represents a gene which is ineffective
Image
An image (from Latin: imago) is an artifact that depicts visual perception, such as a photograph or other two-dimensional picture, that resembles a subject—usually a physical object—and thus provides a depiction of it. In the context of signal processing, an image is a distributed amplitude of color(s).
Symbol
A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract
The limousine was another symbol of his wealth and authority
Image
A representation of the external form of a person or thing in art
Her work juxtaposed images from serious and popular art
Symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different concepts and experiences.
Image
A simile or metaphor
He uses the image of a hole to describe emotional emptiness
Symbol
Symbolize.
Image
Make a representation of the external form of
Artworks which imaged women's bodies
Symbol
Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible
The lamb is a symbol of innocence.
Image
A representation of the form of a person or object, such as a painting or photograph.
Symbol
An instance that typifies a broader pattern or situation
His striking out to end the rally was a symbol of everything that had gone wrong with the team over the past month.
Image
A sculptured likeness.
Symbol
A printed or written sign used to represent an operation, element, quantity, quality, or relation, as in mathematics or music.
Image
(Physics) An optically formed duplicate, counterpart, or other representative reproduction of an object, especially an optical reproduction formed by a lens or mirror.
Symbol
(Psychology) An object or image that an individual unconsciously uses to represent repressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses
A phallic symbol.
Image
One that closely or exactly resembles another
He is the image of his uncle.
Symbol
A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
$ is the symbol for dollars in the US and some other countries.
Chinese people use word symbols for writing.
Image
Likeness; semblance
Genesis says that man was made in the image of God.
Symbol
A thing considered the embodiment of a concept or object.
The lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience.
Image
The opinion or concept of something that is held by the public
The public's image of business leaders as greedy.
Symbol
(linguistics) A type of noun whereby the form refers to the same entity independently of the context; a symbol arbitrarily denotes a referent. See also icon and index.
Image
The concept or character projected to the public, as by a person or institution, especially as interpreted by the mass media
An actor who tried to convey an image of refined beauty.
Symbol
A summary of a dogmatic statement of faith.
The Apostles, Nicene Creed and the confessional books of Protestantism, such as the Augsburg Confession of Lutheranism are considered symbols.
Image
A typical example or embodiment
That child is the image of good health.
Symbol
(crystallography) The numerical expression which defines a plane's position relative to the assumed axes.
Image
A mental picture of something not real or present
Our image of the cottage did not conform with reality.
Symbol
(obsolete) That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.
Image
A vivid description or representation in words, especially a metaphor or simile
The poem uses the image of a barren tree to convey feelings of desolation.
Symbol
(obsolete) Share; allotment.
Image
(Mathematics) A set of values of a function corresponding to a particular subset of a domain.
Symbol
(programming) An internal identifier used by a debugger to relate parts of the compiled program to the corresponding names in the source code.
Image
(Computers) An exact replica of the contents of a storage device, such as a hard disk, stored on a second storage device, such as a network server.
Symbol
(telecommunications) A signalling event on a communications channel; a signal that cannot be further divided into meaningful information.
Image
(Obsolete) An apparition.
Symbol
To symbolize.
Image
To make or produce a likeness of
Imaged the poet in bronze.
Symbol
A visible sign or representation of an idea; anything which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by resemblance or by convention; an emblem; a representation; a type; a figure; as, the lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience.
A symbol is a sign included in the idea which it represents, e. g., an actual part chosen to represent the whole, or a lower form or species used as the representative of a higher in the same kind.
Image
To mirror or reflect
A statue imaged in the water.
Symbol
Any character used to represent a quantity, an operation, a relation, or an abbreviation.
Image
To make a visual representation of (an object) using remote scanning or technology such as magnetic resonance imaging
Imaged the diseased kidneys.
Imaged the surface of Mars.
Symbol
An abstract or compendium of faith or doctrine; a creed, or a summary of the articles of religion.
Image
To symbolize or typify
A kneeling woman imaging the nation's grief.
Symbol
That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.
They do their work in the days of peace . . . and come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague.
Image
To picture mentally; imagine or visualize
Imaged each dive before doing it.
Symbol
Share; allotment.
The persons who are to be judged . . . shall all appear to receive their symbol.
Image
To describe, especially so vividly as to evoke a mental picture
The passage images what it's like to grow up poor.
Symbol
An abbreviation standing for the name of an element and consisting of the initial letter of the Latin or New Latin name, or sometimes of the initial letter with a following one; as, C for carbon, Na for sodium (Natrium), Fe for iron (Ferrum), Sn for tin (Stannum), Sb for antimony (Stibium), etc. See the list of names and symbols under Element.
Image
To print (a file) using a laser printer, imagesetter, direct-to-plate press, or similar device.
Symbol
To symbolize.
Image
To transmit (an exact replica of the contents of a storage device) to another storage device
Imaged the hard drive to the server.
Symbol
An arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
Image
An optical or other representation of a real object; a graphic; a picture.
The Bible forbids the worship of graven images.
Symbol
Something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible;
The eagle is a symbol of the United States
Image
A mental picture of something not real or not present.
Image
A statue or idol.
Image
(computing) A file that contains all information needed to produce a live working copy. (See disk image and image copy.)
Most game console emulators do not come with any ROM images for copyright reasons.
Image
A characteristic of a person, group or company etc., style, manner of dress, how one is or wishes to be perceived by others.
Image
(mathematics) What a function maps to.
The number 6 is the image of 3 under f that is defined as f(x) = 2x.
Image
(mathematics) The subset of a codomain comprising those elements that are images of something.
The image of this step function is the set of integers.
Image
(radio) A form of interference: a weaker "copy" of a strong signal that occurs at a different frequency.
Image
(obsolete) Show; appearance; cast.
Image
(transitive) To represent by an image or symbol; to portray.
Image
(transitive) To reflect, mirror.
Image
(transitive) To create an image of.
Image
To create a complete backup copy of a file system or other entity.
Image
An imitation, representation, or similitude of any person, thing, or act, sculptured, drawn, painted, or otherwise made perceptible to the sight; a visible presentation; a copy; a likeness; an effigy; a picture; a semblance.
Even like a stony image, cold and numb.
Whose is this image and superscription?
This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna.
And God created man in his own image.
Image
Hence: The likeness of anything to which worship is paid; an idol.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, . . . thou shalt not bow down thyself to them.
Image
Show; appearance; cast.
The face of things a frightful image bears.
Image
A representation of anything to the mind; a picture drawn by the fancy; a conception; an idea.
Can we conceiveImage of aught delightful, soft, or great?
Image
A picture, example, or illustration, often taken from sensible objects, and used to illustrate a subject; usually, an extended metaphor.
Image
The figure or picture of any object formed at the focus of a lens or mirror, by rays of light from the several points of the object symmetrically refracted or reflected to corresponding points in such focus; this may be received on a screen, a photographic plate, or the retina of the eye, and viewed directly by the eye, or with an eyeglass, as in the telescope and microscope; the likeness of an object formed by reflection; as, to see one's image in a mirror.
Image
To represent or form an image of; as, the still lake imaged the shore; the mirror imaged her figure.
Image
To represent to the mental vision; to form a likeness of by the fancy or recollection; to imagine.
Condemn'd whole years in absence to deplore,And image charms he must behold no more.
Image
An iconic mental representation;
Her imagination forced images upon her too awful to contemplate
Image
A visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface;
They showed us the pictures of their wedding
A movie is a series of images projected so rapidly that the eye integrates them
Image
(Jungian psychology) a personal facade that one presents to the world;
A public image is as fragile as Humpty Dumpty
Image
A standard or typical example;
He is the prototype of good breeding
He provided America with an image of the good father
Image
Language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense
Image
Someone who closely resembles a famous person (especially an actor);
He could be Gingrich's double
She's the very image of her mother
Image
A representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture);
The coin bears an effigy of Lincoln
The emperor's tomb had his image carved in stone
Image
Imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
I can't see him on horseback!
I can see what will happen
I can see a risk in this strategy
Common Curiosities
How do symbols convey meaning?
Through cultural, contextual, or established associations that represent ideas or concepts indirectly.
Are symbols always visual?
While often visual, symbols can also be auditory, like a whistle used as a signal, or tactile, like Braille.
How is an image interpreted differently from a symbol?
An image is interpreted based on direct visual cues, while a symbol’s interpretation relies on learned associations or context.
Why are symbols important in culture?
Symbols encapsulate complex ideas, values, and identities, fostering a shared understanding and continuity within a culture.
What is the primary function of an image?
To visually represent or depict scenes, objects, or ideas directly.
How do artists use images and symbols?
Artists use images to convey visual stories or emotions and symbols to add deeper meanings or contexts to their work.
Can an image also be a symbol?
Yes, when an image is widely recognized to represent broader concepts or values, it can also function as a symbol.
Can the meaning of a symbol change?
Yes, the meaning of a symbol can evolve over time or vary between different cultures or contexts.
What role do images play in communication?
They facilitate direct and universal communication through visual representation, transcending language barriers.
How can the same image evoke different emotions?
Personal experiences, cultural backgrounds, and individual perspectives can influence the emotional response to an image.
How do digital technologies affect the use of images and symbols?
Digital technologies have expanded the creation, distribution, and interpretation of both images and symbols, blurring the lines between them.
Can symbols be misunderstood?
Yes, without shared context or knowledge, symbols can be misinterpreted.
What is the significance of symbols in religion?
Symbols in religion encapsulate complex beliefs, teachings, and identities, aiding in worship and community bonding.
What is an example of a symbol that has a universal meaning?
The Red Cross symbol universally signifies medical help and humanitarian aid.
How do images affect our perception of reality?
Images can shape our understanding and perception of reality through the framing, selection, and depiction of subjects.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
