Abstract: Mechanics is one of the earliest developed subjects of physics in our country. Although symbol is not the main body of research during the process of the development of mechanics, it exerts crucial influence in all of the physics-related articles. As the knowledge of physics in western countries spread into China from late Ming dynasty to Qing dynasty, the use of symbols entered new era. This essay focuses on the use of the characters and symbols in articles translated by mathematician Li shanlan in late Qingdynasty and by western missionary Ding Weiliang. On the basis of the comparision and analasis of the articles, this essay will furthermore make a summary and then make some simple probe into it.