垫脚石

墊腳石

diànjiǎoshí

noun #28,912

Measure Word

一块垫脚石 kuài

Meanings

1 stepping stone
2 a person used to advance someone else's career

Characters

to pad / to cushion

Examples

他把这份工作当作进入行业的垫脚石。

Tā bǎ zhè fèn gōngzuò dàngzuò jìnrù hángyè de diànjiǎoshí.

He treats this job as a stepping stone into the industry.

她不想成为别人的垫脚石。

Tā bù xiǎng chéngwéi biérén de diànjiǎoshí.

She doesn't want to be used as someone else's stepping stone.

Tips

usage

Literally 'foot-padding stone'. In its figurative sense, it carries a negative nuance — being exploited as a means to an end by someone else.

Stroke Order

垫 diàn

脚 jiǎo

石 shí