本文把符号定义为“被认为携带意义的感知”，把符号学定义为“研究意义的学说”，把符号学定位为“不仅讨论表意批判而且讨论解释”，试图厘清一些混乱，例如西文中sign与symbol的混乱，以及因盲从西语产生的中文“符号”与“象征”的混乱。

Defining “sign” as “a perception understood as carrying meaning”, and “semiotics” as “the study of meanings”, the paper tries to clarify misunderstanding on “sign” and “symbol”, and on their Chinese counterparts “Fuhao” and “Xiangzheng”.