工具人
释义 DEFINITION
工具人原指使用机械工具的人类操作者，但在互联网语境中已演变为带有强烈隐喻色彩的流行词。主要含义包括：
- 字面含义：指代从事重复性劳动的蓝领工作者（使用率约5%）
- 网络核心义（使用率90%）：形容被他人当作工具般利用，缺乏个人意志和情感关怀的个体。常见于恋爱关系中的备胎、职场中的廉价劳动力等场景
- 游戏术语延伸：指玩家在多人游戏中专门负责功能性操作（如治疗、搬运）的次要角色（使用率5%）
该词通常带有自嘲或批判意味，反映现代社会对功利性人际关系的反思。
词源故事 ETYMOLOGY
【工具人的互联网进化史】
2016年前后，工具人概念开始在游戏论坛发酵。当时《魔兽世界》玩家用这个词调侃专职开宝箱、搬物资的队友，类似西方MMORPG中的"loot mule"。转折点出现在2018年，某知乎用户分享相亲经历：
"她只有在搬家、修电脑时才找我，情人节连句谢谢都没有，我简直就是个人形工具箱"
这条获得3.2万赞的回答让工具人完成从游戏术语到社会概念的蜕变。2019年B站UP主"手工耿"制作真·铁皮工具人雕塑，视频中反复强调"用完就扔"的特性，推动该词破圈传播。
2020年职场剧《平凡的荣耀》出现经典台词："项目经理？不过是高级工具人"，引发微博#职场工具人诊断书#话题，阅读量达4.7亿。同期拼多多员工猝死事件中，工具人成为打工人自我解压的热词。
当代典型用例：
- 情感领域："七夕帮女神抢演唱会票，结果她和男神去了，工具人竟是我自己"
- 职场场景："凌晨三点改完PPT，老板转发时把我的名字删了，纯纯工具人"
- 家庭关系："回老家就被当免费摄影师，拍完全家福才发现没人在照片里给我留位置"
DEFINITION
The term gongjuren (工具人), literally meaning "tool person", has evolved into a cultural metaphor describing individuals who are treated as disposable utilities rather than human beings. It primarily conveys three layers of meaning:
- Literal sense (rarely used): Refers to workers operating mechanical tools
- Modern usage (dominant): Describes someone being exploited like a tool in relationships or workplaces, often without proper recognition or emotional consideration. Comparable to being a "workhorse" or "emotional doormat" in Western contexts
- Gaming context: Players assigned repetitive support roles in multiplayer games
The term carries self-deprecating humor while critiquing transactional social dynamics.
ETYMOLOGY
The Meteoric Rise of Gongjuren Culture
The term gongjuren first gained traction in Chinese gaming communities around 2016. World of Warcraft players jokingly referred to teammates assigned mundane tasks like loot gathering as "human tools", similar to the Western "fetch quest NPC". Its cultural breakthrough came in 2018 when a Zhihu user's dating story went viral:
"She only contacts me when she needs furniture moved or computer fixed. Not even a thank you on Valentine's Day - I'm basically a walking Swiss Army knife."
This 32K-upvoted post transformed gongjuren from gaming slang into social commentary. In 2019, DIY influencer "Handy Geng" built a literal iron-plated toolman sculpture, repeatedly emphasizing its "disposable" nature in his viral Bilibili video.
The 2020 workplace drama "The Ordinary Glory" featured the iconic line: "Project manager? Just a premium-tier tool person", sparking the Weibo hashtag #OfficeGongjurenDiagnosis with 470M views. During the 2021 Pinduoduo employee death controversy, the term became cathartic shorthand for overworked professionals.
Modern Manifestations:
- Dating: "Spent hours helping my crush score concert tickets, only for her to go with Chad. Plot twist: I was the ticketbot all along."
- Workplace: "Revised the pitch deck till 3AM. Boss forwarded it removing my name - peak toolperson experience."
- Family: "Played free photographer at reunion. Realized nobody saved me a seat in the family portrait."