这也接近中国有种精神象征的作用。

This is as close as China gets to a kind of spiritual role.

youdao

但事实上，象征符号在我们的生活中发挥着更大的作用。

But in fact symbols play a much larger role in our lives.

youdao

一些人类学家曾提出，即使是最早的鞋，也有可能象征意义更多于保护作用。

Some anthropologists have suggested that even the earliest shoes may have served a more symbolic than protective function.

youdao