‌‌‌‌　　英：signified; 法：signifie

‌‌‌‌　　根据索绪尔的观点，所指是符号 (SIGN)的概念元素。它不是由一个符号所表示的真实对象（指涉物），而是相对于这样一种对象的心理实体 (Saussure, 1916:66-7).

‌‌‌‌　　对索绪尔而言，所指具有与能指 (SIGNIFIER)相同的地位，两者共同构成了符号中相等的两面。而拉康则宣称能指的至上性，并指出所指仅仅是能指游戏的一种效果而已，即经由隐喻而产生的意指过程的一种效果。换句话说，所指不是给定的，而是生成的。

‌‌‌‌　　拉康的见解因而便对立于一种表现主义的语言观，根据此种观点，概念先是存在于某种前语言的状态，而后才在语言的物质媒介中获得表达。相对于这样一种看法，拉康主张语言的物质元素的优先性（逻辑上而非时序上的优先）。

‌‌‌‌　　(signifie)According to Saussure,the signified is the conceptual element of the SIGN.Itis not the real object denoted by a sign (the referent),but a psychological entitycorresponding to such an object(Saussure,1916:66-7)

‌‌‌‌　　For Saussure, the signified has the same status as the SIGNIFIER; both form equalsides of the sign. Lacan, on the other hand, asserts the supremacy of the signifier, andargues that the signified is a mere effect of the play of signifiers, an effect of the processof signification produced by metaphor. In other words, the signified is not given, butproduced.

‌‌‌‌　　Lacan's view is thus opposed to an expressionist view of language, according to whichconcepts exist in some pre-verbal state before being expressed in the material medium oflanguage. In contrast to such a view, Lacan asserts the priority (logical rather thanchronological) of the material element of language.