意思是消除仇怨,变战争为和平,变冲突为友好。“干”“戈”是用于防御和进攻的两种武器(two weapons of war which were used for defense and attack respectively),借指战争、武力冲突;“玉”“帛”指玉器和束帛,是古代诸侯会盟、诸侯与天子朝聘时互赠的礼物(jades and silks which were gifts exchanged between feudal lords and tribute paid to monarchs),后来用于表示和平共处之意。