mental representation
Technical term in cognitive science and philosophy of mind, referring to internal mental content that stands for objects, properties, or states of affairs.
In cognitive science, mental representations are considered the basic units of thought.
表象 is a broader philosophical term for 'representation' in general, while 心的表示 specifically refers to mental representations in cognitive contexts.
Compound of 心的 (mental) and 表示 (representation, display). A modern technical term likely calqued from English 'mental representation'.