请看《Sixth Tone》的详细报道：
It doesn’t chirp, purr, or wag its tail; nor does it fetch, cuddle, or respond to its name. In fact, it doesn’t do much of anything besides sit quietly. But for a growing number of young Chinese, that’s exactly the appeal of owning a chongwu shi or “pet rock.”
它不会鸣叫、喵喵叫或摇尾巴；也不会去取东西、撒娇或对它的名字有反应。事实上，除了安静地坐着，它几乎什么都不做。但对于越来越多的中国年轻人来说，拥有一块“宠物石”正是其吸引力所在。
Inspired by the animated movie “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” where the character Otto treasures a pet rock, young consumers have embraced whimsical versions of their own, often decorated with plastic eyes, hats, and unique personalities.
受动画电影《小黄人：格鲁的崛起》的启发，片中角色奥托珍视一块宠物石，年轻消费者也开始拥抱他们自己奇思妙想的版本，通常用塑料眼睛、帽子和独特的个性来装饰。
This year, pet rocks have surged in popularity on Taobao, China’s top e-commerce platform, with sales in August alone rising 246% month over month. The majority of buyers are women, and most born after 1995, according to domestic media reports.
今年，宠物石在中国最大的电子商务平台淘宝上的销量激增，仅8月份的销量就环比增长246%。据国内媒体报道，大多数买家是女性，大多数出生于1995年之后。
第一，学习wag的用法。这个词作及物动词，表示if a dog wags its tail, or if its tail wags, the dog moves its tail many times from one side to the other，〔狗〕摇(尾巴)。
第二，学习animated cartoon/film/feature etc的用法。这个词组表示a film or programme that shows pictures, clay models etc that seem to be really moving，动画片/动画节目，例：an animated Disney film 一部迪士尼动画片
第三，学习whimsical的用法。这个词作形容词，表示unusual or strange and often amusing，古怪的；异想天开的，滑稽可笑的，例：He has a wonderful whimsical sense of humour. 他怪异的幽默感令人惊叹。
Typically priced at around 20 yuan ($3), most pet rocks are just ordinary pebbles. However, some buyers go the extra mile, collecting stones from parks or roadsides and bathing them with essential oils and moisturizers to keep them shiny. One shop owner reported a turnover of around 20,000 yuan in September, with some popular items already selling over 1,000 units.
通常宠物石的价格在20元人民币左右，大多数宠物石只是普通的鹅卵石。然而，一些买家会更进一步，从公园或路边收集石头，用精油和润肤露清洗它们，以保持它们的光泽。一位店主称，9月份的营业额约为2万元人民币，一些热门商品的销量已超过1000件。
On the lifestyle app Xiaohongshu, posts about pet rocks have amassed nearly 3.1 million views, with users sharing photos, seeking creative names, and buying accessories like glasses stickers, beds, and hats. Some have even created “Pet Rock Care Guides.”
在生活方式应用小红书上，关于“宠物石”的帖子已经吸引了近310万的浏览量，用户们分享照片、为它们起创意的名字，并购买眼镜贴纸、床和帽子等配件。一些人甚至创作了“宠物石养护指南”。
The concept of the pet rock isn’t entirely new. It traces back to 1975 when American advertising executive Gary Dahl introduced it as a low-maintenance pet, requiring no feeding, grooming, or training.
“宠物石”的概念并不完全新颖。它可以追溯到1975年，当时美国广告执行官加里·达尔将它作为一种不需要喂养、打理或训练的低维护宠物引入市场。
第一，学习go the extra mile的用法。这个词组表示to try a little harder in order to achieve something, after you have already used a lot of effort，再加把劲〔以完成某事〕，例：The president expressed his determination to go the extra mile for peace. 总统表达了要为实现和平再接再厉的决心。
第二，学习amass的用法。这个词作及物动词，表示if you amass money, knowledge, information etc, you gradually collect a large amount of it，积聚，积累，大量收集，例：For 25 years, Darwin amassed evidence to support his theories. 25年间，达尔文收集了大量证据来支持自己的理论。
第三，学习grooming的用法。这个词作名词，表示the process of cleaning and brushing an animal, especially a horse，刷洗动物〔尤指马匹〕。
Marketed as a gag gift, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon, selling millions and making Dahl a millionaire. Its appeal lay in clever marketing that played on the humor and simplicity of owning a “pet” without any real responsibilities.
作为搞笑礼物进行营销，它很快成为一种文化现象，售出数百万件，让达尔成为了百万富翁。它的吸引力在于巧妙的营销策略，利用了拥有“宠物”但无需承担任何实际责任的幽默和简单。
Zhang Zhe, an associate professor of marketing at Fudan University’s School of Management in Shanghai, explained that today’s consumer trends increasingly center on self-perception and emotional satisfaction, fueling the growth of interest-based, therapeutic products. “Pet stones have emerged as a new favorite, especially among young consumers seeking novel experiences,” she said.
上海复旦大学管理学院市场学副教授张哲表示，当今的消费趋势越来越注重自我认知和情感满足，推动了兴趣导向、治疗性产品的增长。“宠物石已经成为一种新的热门产品，尤其受到寻求新奇体验的年轻消费者的喜爱，”她说。
Zhang also underscored that Gen Z is particularly drawn to affordable, character-themed designs, such as childhood toys priced between 10 and 30 yuan, making them highly appealing in the direct-to-consumer market.
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张哲还指出，Z世代尤其喜欢价格亲民、以人物形象为主题的设计，比如价格在10至30元之间的童年玩具，这使得它们在直接面向消费者的市场中极具吸引力。
第一，学习gag的用法。这个词作名词，表示a joke or funny story，玩笑，笑话，例：He told a few gags. 他讲了几个笑话。
第二，学习therapeutic的用法。这个词作形容词，表示making you feel calm and relaxed，使人镇静的，使人放松的，例：I find swimming very therapeutic. 我觉得游泳能让人很放松。
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