Question about a word not referring to a thing

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I'd like to get some clarity about a " word " not referring to a " thing. "

Here's my present understanding this matter. I can easily see that the word

" fire " isn't the actual " hot stuff " that burns; and the word " water " is not the

" wet stuff " you can drink, and so on. Yet it seems to me that the word " fire "

does point to, or refer to the " hot stuff " which is not a separate *thing* or

independently existing object, but is a process or aspect of the functioning of

*totality* for lack of a better word.

 

Am I missing something?

 

Thanks!

Michael