What does Rosebud represent in Citizen Kane?

In the film Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles, "Rosebud" is the final word spoken by the protagonist, Charles Foster Kane, on his deathbed. While the word serves as a central mystery throughout the narrative, it is ultimately revealed to be the name of the sled Kane owned during his childhood.12

Critics have interpreted this revelation to signify the last moment in Kane's life when he experienced true happiness, representing a lost innocence that he could never reclaim despite his later success and wealth as a publishing magnate.1