垫脚石
释义 DEFINITION
本义：字面指供人踩踏跨越障碍的石头。
网络语境：比喻被他人利用来实现目标的工具人或事物，常见于职场/婚恋场景，如「被当成升职垫脚石」。
使用现状：90%以上使用为贬义，常伴随被利用者的委屈感，近年因内卷加剧成为热门社会议题。
词源故事 ETYMOLOGY
2021年知乎热帖《总监把我当垫脚石后跳槽了》引爆该词流行。楼主详细讲述自己熬夜做的方案被上司署名为「团队成果」，最终上司凭此跳槽升职。帖子获得12万赞，评论区形成「垫学」讨论：
1. 职场垫：前辈让新人背黑锅，自己收割功劳
2. 婚恋垫：凤凰男借城市女友获得资源后分手
3. 学术垫：导师将学生研究成果占为己有
2022年B站用户@职场防垫指南 制作系列动画，演示经典话术如「这个项目你多锻炼」（实为背锅）、「成果会体现你的贡献」（实则抹去署名）。相关视频播放量破千万，奠定该词负面情感基调。
例句：「跳槽时才发现，我在前司就是块人形垫脚石，总监踩着我的KPI拿了年度优秀管理者。」
DEFINITION
Literal meaning: A physical stone used to step over obstacles.
Internet usage: Metaphorically describes someone being used as a tool for others' advancement, especially in workplace or relationships. Carries strong negative connotation of exploitation, similar to "being used as a ladder climber" in Western contexts.
Cultural context: Reflects China's hyper-competitive social environment where interpersonal trust is often compromised for personal gain.
ETYMOLOGY
The term went viral in 2021 when a Zhihu post titled "My Director Used Me as a Stepping Stone and Jumped Ship" garnered 120k upvotes. The author detailed how their supervisor claimed credit for a project they worked overtime to complete, using it to land a better job. This sparked nationwide discussions about workplace exploitation, with netizens coining the term "Stepping Stone Studies":
1. Corporate stepping: Seniors making juniors take blame while claiming achievements
2. Romantic stepping: Partners being used for social/resources access then discarded
3. Academic stepping: Professors appropriating students' research
In 2022, Bilibili creator @CareerShield made animated tutorials exposing classic manipulation phrases like "This project will be good experience for you" (code for making you take fall) and "Your contribution will be recognized" (meaning removing your name). The videos surpassed 10 million views, cementing the term's negative connotation in Chinese internet culture.
Example: "Just found out I was basically a human stepping stone at my last company - the director stepped on my KPIs to win Manager of the Year."