[敲门砖 / 敲門磚, qiāo mén zhuānㄑㄧㄠ ㄇㄣˊ ㄓㄨㄢ] lit. a brick as a door knocker (成语 saw); fig. a temporary expedient; to use sb as a stepping stone to fortune#54518
[旁敲侧击 / 旁敲側擊, páng qiāo cè jīㄆㄤˊ ㄑㄧㄠ ㄘㄜˋ ㄐㄧ] glancing knock, sideways stroke (成语 saw); fig. circuitous attack in words or writing; to attack by innuendo; to satirize; to cast oblique aspersions#58791