Functional display for selectively displaying a plurality of symbols representing in each case a switching function and/or in each case at least two switching states, in particular for a motor vehicle, having: a light guide stack which, when the functional display has been installed as intended, forms a display surface facing a viewer; wherein the light guide stack is formed from at least two transparent or translucent, planar light guides (2, 3), which are arranged one above the other in a stack direction and are arranged spaced apart by a transparent or translucent layer made of an optically thinner material than the adjoining light guides (2, 3), preferably via an air gap, in such a way that the light guides (2, 3) have in each case a main surface facing a viewer and a main surface (H') facing away from the viewer, and, in the case of at least one light guide, the main surface (H') facing away from the viewer faces a light guide that is the closest neighbour counter to the stack direction; at least one light source (5, 5') per light guide (2, 3), with the light source being arranged such that its light (L, L') is coupled into the respective light guide (2, 3) via an end face of an associated light guide (2, 3) facing the light source (5, 5'); wherein furthermore at least one microstructured symbol region (12a, 12b) per light guide (2, 3) is provided, which is provided in or on the light guide (2, 3) and comprises a plurality of diffractive and/or light-scattering microstructures and is designed to be luminously visible to the viewer by means of the light (L, L') coupled into the light guide (2, 3) in the case of a respectively activated light source (5, 5') in order to display to the viewer a symbol that is composed of one or more microstructured symbol regions (12a, 12b); a printed circuit board, on which the plurality of light sources (5, 5') are arranged and fixed; a screen that is fixed cohesively and/or force-fittingly and/or form-fittingly to the light guide stack and to which the printed circuit board is fixed by it resting against a mounting surface, wherein the screen has a plurality of light shafts (8, 8') which are open on both sides and in each case hold at least one of the light sources (5, 5') of the printed circuit board, with the result that at least one light source (5, 5') lies opposite an associated end face in order to couple light (L, L') into the associated end face, characterized in that the first clearance, present in the stack direction, of two light shafts arranged spaced apart transversely to the stack direction with respect to the associated light source held in the relevant light shaft is smaller than each second clearance, present in the stack direction, of the remaining light shafts with respect to the associated light source held in the relevant light shaft. a light guide stack which, when the functional display has been installed as intended, forms a display surface facing a viewer; wherein the light guide stack is formed from at least two transparent or translucent, planar light guides (2, 3), which are arranged one above the other in a stack direction and are arranged spaced apart by a transparent or translucent layer made of an optically thinner material than the adjoining light guides (2, 3), preferably via an air gap, in such a way that the light guides (2, 3) have in each case a main surface facing a viewer and a main surface (H') facing away from the viewer, and, in the case of at least one light guide, the main surface (H') facing away from the viewer faces a light guide that is the closest neighbour counter to the stack direction; at least one light source (5, 5') per light guide (2, 3), with the light source being arranged such that its light (L, L') is coupled into the respective light guide (2, 3) via an end face of an associated light guide (2, 3) facing the light source (5, 5'); wherein furthermore at least one microstructured symbol region (12a, 12b) per light guide (2, 3) is provided, which is provided in or on the light guide (2, 3) and comprises a plurality of diffractive and/or light-scattering microstructures and is designed to be luminously visible to the viewer by means of the light (L, L') coupled into the light guide (2, 3) in the case of a respectively activated light source (5, 5') in order to display to the viewer a symbol that is composed of one or more microstructured symbol regions (12a, 12b); a printed circuit board, on which the plurality of light sources (5, 5') are arranged and fixed; a screen that is fixed cohesively and/or force-fittingly and/or form-fittingly to the light guide stack and to which the printed circuit board is fixed by it resting against a mounting surface, wherein the screen has a plurality of light shafts (8, 8') which are open on both sides and in each case hold at least one of the light sources (5, 5') of the printed circuit board, with the result that at least one light source (5, 5') lies opposite an associated end face in order to couple light (L, L') into the associated end face, characterized in that the first clearance, present in the stack direction, of two light shafts arranged spaced apart transversely to the stack direction with respect to the associated light source held in the relevant light shaft is smaller than each second clearance, present in the stack direction, of the remaining light shafts with respect to the associated light source held in the relevant light shaft.