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垫脚石 (diàn jiǎo shí) — stepping stone (a stone placed to facilitate walking on muddy or uneven ground); stepping stone (something used to achieve a goal, especially career advancement)

Definition

A noun for both a literal stone for stepping on in mud and, more commonly, a figurative stepping stone to a larger goal. Often used metaphorically, and can carry a negative tone when people are treated as stepping stones.

noun
stepping stone (a stone placed to facilitate walking on muddy or uneven ground)stepping stone (something used to achieve a goal, especially career advancement)
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 垫脚石。
    Tā zài ní lù shang fàng le jǐ kuài diàn jiǎo shí.
    He placed a few stepping stones on the muddy path.
  • 垫脚石。
    Zhè fèn gōng zuò zhǐ shì tā chéng gōng de diàn jiǎo shí.
    This job is just a stepping stone to his success.
  • 垫脚石。
    Bié bǎ bié rén dàng chéng diàn jiǎo shí.
    Don't treat others as stepping stones.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

垫脚footpad
垫diànpad脚jiǎofoot
动宾Verb + object
石shístone

“垫” pads and “脚” is foot, so it is a stone that pads the foot.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 墊; 垫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
執
執zhí墊diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 墊 pairs 土, showing earth, with 執, providing the sound; this is about 墊, not the simplified 垫.

Open 垫 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腳; 脚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body
Sound part声符shēngfú
卻
卻què腳jiǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 腳 uses ⺼ for a body part and 卻 for the sound; the simplified 脚 is a later shorthand.

Open 脚 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsMiscellaneous Objects

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