SIGN, MARK, TOKEN, NOTE, SYMPTOM mean a discernible indication of what is not itself directly perceptible.

SIGN applies to any indication to be perceived by the senses or the reason.

e.g. encouraging signs for the economy

MARK suggests something impressed on or inherently characteristic of a thing often in contrast to general outward appearance.

e.g. a mark of a good upbringing

TOKEN applies to something that serves as a proof of something intangible.

e.g. this gift is a token of our esteem

NOTE suggests a distinguishing mark or characteristic.

e.g. a note of irony in her writing

SYMPTOM suggests an outward indication of an internal change or condition.

e.g. rampant crime is a symptom of that city's decay

source: [ゆるゆりの歳納京子が船見結衣に土下座するGIF画像｜無料GIF画像検索 GIFMAGAZINE 916302]

1. a thing serving as a visible or tangible representation of a fact, quality, feeling, etc.:

｟かたく｠ (気持ち･真実などを示す)しるし, あかし, 象徴; (権威･身元などを示す)証拠; 証拠品

e.g. I wanted to offer you a small token of my appreciation

e.g. mistletoe was cut from an oak tree as a token of good fortune.

archaic a characteristic or distinctive sign or mark, especially a badge or favor worn to indicate allegiance to a particular person or party.

archaic a word or object conferring authority on or serving to authenticate the speaker or holder.

a staff or other object given to a locomotive engineer on a single-track railroad as authority to proceed over a given section of line.

2. a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services, typically one given as a gift or offered as part of a promotional offer:

｟英｠ 商品(引換)券(｟米｠ gift certificate)

e.g. redeem this token for a free dessert.

a metal or plastic disk used to operate a machine or in exchange for particular goods or services.

(乗り物･電話などの料金支払い用)コイン, 代用硬貨

3. Linguistics an individual occurrence of a linguistic unit in speech or writing, as contrasted with the type or class of linguistic unit of which it is an instance. Contrasted with type.

〘哲〙 全体を代表するもの, 人, 一端; トークン〘ある単語･記号などの具体的使用例; その生起回数, 延べ語数; → type〙 〘言〙

Computing the smallest meaningful unit of information in a sequence of data for a compiler.

4. Computing a sequence of bits passed continuously between nodes in a fixed order and enabling a node to transmit information.

done for the sake of appearances or as a symbolic gesture:

しるしばかりの, 名目上の, わずかな〈そぶり･努力･抵抗など〉

e.g. cases like these often bring just token fines from the courts.

(of a person) chosen by way of tokenism as a representative of a particular minority or underrepresented group:

e.g. the patronising treatment of the token Middle Eastern character.

in the same way or for the same reason:

e.g. there was little evidence to substantiate the gossip and, by the same token, there was little to disprove it.

as a sign or symbol of:

e.g. we bought each other drinks in token of the holiday season.

Old English tāc(e)n, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch teken and German Zeichen, also to teach.