1.
to use as a stepping stone; to exploit someone or something for personal advancement
To take advantage of a person, position, or experience as a means of advancing one's own career or goals, often with a negative connotation of using others callously.
彼は人を踏み台にして出世した。
He climbed the ladder by stepping on others.
この経験を踏み台にして、次のステップに進みたい。
I want to use this experience as a stepping stone to move to the next level.
仲間を踏み台にするような人は信用されない。
People who exploit their colleagues as stepping stones are not trusted.
Literally 'to make into a stepping stool,' this expression uses the concrete image of a 踏み台 (step stool) as a metaphor for using someone or something to advance. When the object is a person, the expression is distinctly negative, implying opportunistic or callous behavior. When the object is an experience or situation, it can be neutral or even positive.
USAGE:
- Negative: 人を踏み台にする (to use people as stepping stones)
- Neutral/positive: 経験を踏み台にする (to use experience as a stepping stone)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人を踏み台にする: to exploit people for advancement
- 経験を踏み台にする: to use experience as a springboard
- 失敗を踏み台にする: to turn failure into a stepping stone
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 足場にする: to use as a foothold — similar metaphor but less negative
- 利用する: to use; to take advantage of — broader and more neutral