symbolic representation vs symbol

symbolic representation and symbol both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
symbolic representation	Yes	No	No	No
symbol	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, symbolic representation and symbol are synonyms defined as:

symbolic representation and symbol: something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible

Other synonyms of symbolic representation include symbolisation, symbolization.

symbolic representation (noun)	symbol (noun)
something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible	something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible
	an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance