工具人

A 'tool person' is someone who gets used by others — especially in romantic contexts — only when it's convenient. Think of the friend who helps someone move, fixes their computer, lends money, and listens to their breakup drama, but never gets a text back unless something is needed. It's equal parts sad and relatable, and Chinese internet users wear the label with weary, self-aware humor.

As China's dating and work culture grew more transactional amid economic pressures, young people increasingly found themselves in asymmetric relationships — giving time, labor, or emotional support without reciprocation. The term resonated strongly with millennials and Gen Z navigating hustle culture and one-sided situationships, and spread rapidly through Weibo and Douyin as a badge of rueful self-recognition.

指被他人当作工具使用、只在有需要时才被联系的人，常用于形容情感中付出却得不到回报的一方。