The idiom that we are reading about today, 滥竽充数, can be used in many ways. In its most basic form, it is used to describe a situation in which a person without skill hides a lack of capabilities by blending into a bigger crowd. You know that one person in your study group that coasts on everyone else’s hard work? This idiom describes them. It can also be used to describe a scam or con where genuine products are mixed in with bad products to bulk up the final output. Finally, if you use this phrase about yourself, it can also be used as a polite expression of humbleness. In other words, you can use it to say in a self-depreciating way that you aren’t as skilled as others in the room, and don’t deserve to be in their company. This last usage is probably the most common in everyday life. Here are some examples:
我们部门有几个人天天开会不发言，工作也不做，就是在滥竽充数。There are a few people in our department who never speak up in meetings and never do any work — they’re just making up the numbers.
各位都是专家，我今天来只是滥竽充数，主要是向大家学习。Everyone here is an expert. I’m really only here to fill a seat — mainly I’ve come to learn from you all.
这家店把便宜的茶叶混在好茶里卖，纯属滥竽充数，被顾客发现以后再也没有人去了。This shop mixed cheap tea leaves in with the good tea to pass them off together, pure fakery, and once customers found out, nobody ever went back.
Key vocab
演奏 – yǎn zòu – to perform (music)
根本 – gēn běn – at all; fundamentally
工资 – gōng zī – salary; wages
办法 – bàn fǎ – method; way; solution
认真 – rèn zhēn – serious; conscientious
投入 – tóu rù – absorbed; engaged
去世 – qù shì – to pass away; to die
命令 – mìng lìng – order; command
悄悄 – qiāo qiāo – quietly; secretly
滥竽充数
战国时期，齐国的国王齐宣王非常喜欢听音乐，特别喜欢听一种叫”竽”的乐器。竽的声音又大又好听，但是齐宣王有一个特别的爱好——他不喜欢听一个人吹，他喜欢听很多人一起吹。每次演奏，他都要三百个人同时吹竽，声音像大风一样，他听得非常高兴。
当时有一个人，叫南郭先生。他根本不会吹竽，一点儿也不会。但是他听说，给国王吹竽的人，工资很高，生活很好。于是他想出了一个办法。
他来到王宫，对国王说：”大王，我吹竽吹得非常好，请让我为您演奏吧。”齐宣王很高兴，没有考他，就让他加入了乐队。
从那以后，每次演奏的时候，南郭先生就站在三百人中间。别人吹，他也把竽放在嘴边，摇头晃脑，看起来非常认真，非常投入。其实，他一点声音也没有发出来。因为人太多了，谁也听不出来。
就这样，南郭先生什么都不会，却和大家拿一样的工资，过了好几年舒服的日子。
可是好日子不长。后来，齐宣王去世了，他的儿子齐湣王当了国王。
新国王也喜欢听竽，但是他和父亲不一样——他不喜欢听大家一起吹，他喜欢听一个一个地吹。他下了命令：从明天开始，三百个人，每天一个人，单独为我演奏。
南郭先生听到这个消息，脸都白了。
那天晚上，他收拾好自己的东西，悄悄地逃走了。从此，再也没有人见过他。