As the symbol of the school, the school emblem must first meet the design requirements of the symbol and realize the corresponding functions. Logo is a symbol pattern that takes visual image as the carrier and represents the content of specific things. According to the nature of the content represented by signs and the use function of signs, signs can be divided into five categories. A: Regional, national, party, group, organization, institution, industry, specialty and individual human symbols. B: Signs of celebrations, festivals, conferences, exhibitions and activities. C: Description and indication signs of public welfare places, public transportation, social services and public safety. D: Corporate logos such as companies, manufacturers, shops, hotels and restaurants. E: product and commodity marks. Among them, the first three categories belong to non-commercial logos, and the last two categories belong to commercial logos. According to this classification, the school emblem should be a non-commercial symbol. Logo design requires uniqueness, attention, popularity, universality, information, culture and artistry. The role of signs is to distinguish things, publicize tools, ensure credibility and decorate and beautify. For example, the emblem of Tongji University is mainly a dragon boat. On the dragon boat, Tongji people struggled to paddle, symbolizing "helping each other in the same boat". People can see at a glance that this is the emblem of Tongji University, which can reflect the spirit of Tongji people. Its design meets the design requirements of the logo and achieves the functions of distinction, publicity and beautification. The emblem of HKU is mainly composed of the motto "Mingde Wu Ge", with the dragon shape symbolizing eastern civilization on the top and its western name on the bottom. "Mingde" and "Wu Ge" both come from "University" in the four books. "Mingde" refers to people's innate aboveboard virtue, and makes this virtue manifest and carry forward, with more emphasis on being a man; "Wu Ge" refers to exploring the principles of things, having profound knowledge and paying more attention to doing things and learning. From the design pattern of the school emblem, we can see the purpose and goal of running a school of HKU, and at the same time, it can also reflect the profound cultural connotation.

As a manifestation of visual culture, the school emblem has its own signifier and signified. Signifier refers to the external manifestation of the school emblem, including its shape, color, pattern, font and so on. And it refers to the cultural value hidden behind it. The school emblem is a symbol of a school, an image symbol of a school, and an important symbol of a school's social cognition, so it should reflect the school's philosophy, purpose, characteristics, types and cultural background. For example, the emblem of Peking University designed by Mr. Lu Xun is the arrangement of two seal characters of Peking University, in which the word "North" constitutes two portraits standing back to back, and the word "Big Character" constitutes a portrait standing in front. The school emblem highlights a school-running concept, that is, the university should be "people-oriented". Universities are big because there are masters and also because there are college students. It is also said that students are above, teachers are below, and teachers are willing to be ladders; Students standing on the shoulders of giants want shine on you to be better than blue. Xu Zhihong, the president of Peking University, said that the real "big" learning, academic greatness, great responsibility and great spirit are all in it. In retrospect, many Peking University students who have graduated for many years have mentioned that what Peking University gives students the most precious is the spirit of "freedom, independence and tolerance". The new emblem of China Renmin University is dark red, which is taken from the dark red of the palace wall. Zhang, its designer, thinks that bright red is too exciting and exciting visually, while this deep red is rational, atmospheric and tolerant, and it is a color with China characteristics. He decided that this color was the only color used in the school emblem and called it big red. Just as the bright Harvard Red has become a symbol of capital economy in the United States, he hopes that NPC Red will become an academic symbol of humanities and social sciences in China in the future. The new school emblem consists of three characters "human" in seal script. According to the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of China Renmin University, the new school emblem has three meanings: first, it is a private school, which is the purpose of running a school; The second is to cultivate and bring up talents based on people, which is the concept of running a school; Third, humanities and social sciences are the main features of running a school. In addition, the word "three people" also means "three people make a group" and "three people must be my teachers"