奥运会会徽是奥运会最有权威性的形象标志。历届奥运会会徽的图案虽然千差万别,但都有一个共同的标志，即相互套连的奥林匹克五环标志,同时衬以表现奥运城和东道国历史、地理、民族文化传统等特点的主体图案,使人一眼就可辨认。
Moscow 1980 Emblem 莫斯科“斯大林风格”的会徽
The official emblem was created by Vladimir Arsentyev. Above the Olympic rings we find parallel lines in the shape of a pyramid, and a five pointed star which serves as a reminder of the flag of the Kremlin.
两条交汇的跑道用简单的弧线勾勒出一栋“斯大林风格”的前苏联标志性建筑，鲜艳的红色代表了社会主义的赤色政权，最上方的五角星既是建筑的一部分也象征着前苏联强大的国力，这样的设计显然带有强烈的政治意味。
Los Angeles 1984 Emblem 洛杉矶“运行之星”独具匠心
The star is a universal symbol of the highest aspirations of mankind, the horizontal bars portray the speed with which the contestants pursue the excellence, while the
repetition of the star shape connotes the spirit of competition between equally outstanding physical forms.
设计师鲁尼恩打造出了一个被称做“运行之星”的会徽。会徽中由美国国旗红白蓝3色构成的5个五角星相互重叠，象征着五大洲的融合，13条粗细不一的横线又代表着美国崛起于英国的13个殖民地，巧妙的构思营造出一种运动的美。
Seoul 1988 Emblem 汉城韩国人的拿来主义
The Seoul emblem features a samtaeguk pattern. A samtaeguk is a traditional Korean pattern and visual image which represents Korea. This pattern is widely used as decoration on fans, gates of Korean-style homes, artefacts, and folk crafts. The Olympic emblem features patterns in two forms, centripetal and centrifugal; the centripetal motion represented the people of the world coming together in Korea, thus symbolising worldwide harmony, while the centrifugal motion represented a march onward in search of man's lasting happiness and prosperity.
韩国人在本届奥运会中突出了和平的主题，提出了“人类和谐”的口号。极具民族特色的“三太极”应运而生，其中的黄、红、蓝三种颜色的色带仿佛运动场上的跑道，代表天、地、人三位一体的和谐统一，三色条带外旋象征世界的繁荣与进步，内旋则寓意各国运动员的团结和友谊。虽然涵义深刻，但在设计层面上，韩国人却没有表现出丝毫创意。三色条带的跑道造型依稀带有构成1980年莫斯科奥运会徽的影子，而跑道末端显示动感的线条又与上届洛杉矶的运行之星如出一辙。
Barcelona 1992 Emblem 巴塞罗那艺术光芒照亮五环
The official emblem, designed by Josep Maria Trias from Barcelona, depicted a dynamic human figure in a stance that suggested someone jumping an obstacle (which consisted of the five Olympic rings) and the simple, gestual lines reduced the characterisation of the figure to the head (in the blue of the Mediterranean), the arms (the yellow of the sun and wide open in sign of hospitality) and the legs (a vivid red).
随意涂抹的一点、一钩、一横飘逸洒脱，当人们厌倦了复杂的结构、工整的设计后，终于在这个打破所有造型概念的会徽中找到了清新的水源，它平静地清洗我们脑中的一切陈规俗套。不需要任何语言，不需要任何解释，在本届奥运会“艺术与文化”的主题下，大师的思想光芒照亮五环。
亚特兰大“绿油油”的百年庆典
The base of the torch mark logo, made of the five Rings and the number 100, resembles a classical Greek column and recognizes the centennial of the Games. The torch mark's flames gradually evolve into a perfect star symbolizing each athlete's pursuit of excellence. The gold colour in this logo represents gold medals. The green represents laurel branches worn by winners in ancient times, as well as Atlanta's reputation as the City of Trees.
在1994年，亚特兰大奥运组委会就确定了奥运百年庆典的主题：“和谐、光芒、优雅”。在这个基调下，数字100、奥林匹克五环、希腊柱、火把、和平鸽、五角星就成为了构成本届会徽的全部元素。100年的奥运，构筑了奥运发源地希腊建筑的代表形式；希腊柱上燃烧5颗星用拼画手法构成了奥运的圣火，象征着五大洲的参与；第2颗五角星变形为和平鸽，表达了奥林匹克和平的理想；火焰最上方3颗醒目的小星星，则代表着奥林匹克“更高、更快、更强”的格言。
Sydney 2000 Emblem 悉尼世纪更替文化交融
The emblem represents the figure of an athlete, using typically Australian shapes and colours. The boomerangs and suggestions of sun and rocks, together with the
colours of the harbour, beaches and red interior invoke the unique Australian landscape and its original inhabitants. The flash which transforms the silhouette of Sydney Opera House into a trail of smoke from an Olympic torch recalls the emblem of Sydney's Olympic candidature.
本届奥运会徽采用了大海的蓝色、澳洲大陆的红色、阳光的黄色和空气的白色作为基调，象征了澳大利亚绮丽的风光和清新原始的自然环境，契合了本届“绿色奥运”的主题。澳洲土著人的原住民文化在会徽设计上得到了空前的尊重。亲和力很强的艺术性文字好似沙滩上随手写出一样随意，拉近了设计者与观赏者之间的距离。
Athens 2004 Emblem 雅典橄榄枝回归爱琴海
The 2004 Olympic Games emblem portrays an olive wreath, or kotinos, a branch from an olive tree intertwined in a circle. The emblem is a reference to the ancient Olympic Games, where the kotinos was the official award of Olympic champions. In addition, the olive was the sacred tree of Athens. The colours of the emblem symbolise the shades of white and blue found in the Greek countryside.
爱琴海，古希腊文明的摇篮，一片充满诗意的梦幻蓝色。人类，奥林匹克运动的缔造者，手牵手环绕成为橄榄枝花冠。橄榄枝，和平与荣耀的象征，不搀杂一丝世俗的利益。三个简单的要素表达了“奥运发源”的主题。
Beijing 2008 Emblem “舞动的北京”书写奥运新篇章
"Dancing Beijing" is a milestone of the Olympics. It serves as a classic chapter of the Olympic epic inscribed by the spirit of the Chinese nation, calligraphed by the deeper import of the ancient civilization, and molded by the character of Cathay's descendents. It is concise yet deep inside, bringing forth the city's gradual changes and development.
It appears dignified yet bears a tune of romance, reflecting the nation's thoughts and emotions. In the lead up to the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the emblem will attract more and more people from around the world to Beijing and China to join the great celebration with the Chinese people.
“舞动的北京”是一座奥林匹克的里程碑。它是用中华民族精神镌刻、古老文明意蕴书写、华夏子孙品格铸就出的一首奥林匹克史诗中的经典华章；它简洁而深刻，展示着一个城市的演进与发展；它凝重而浪漫，体现着一个民族的思想与情怀。在通往“北京2008”的路程上，人们将通过它相约北京、相聚中国、相识这里的人们。
