他不会唱歌，只是滥竽充数。
He can't sing — he's just filling a spot.
Daily Chengyu
滥竽充数
To pass oneself off as competent without real skill.
Literal Meaning: Play the yu badly to fill a slot.
滥sloppily
竽yu pipe
充fill
数number
Today's Situation
A team member nods in meetings but never contributes real work.
Perfect Chengyu: 滥竽充数
Actual Meaning
Someone holds a position or joins a group without deserving it — faking ability in a lineup.
Emotional toneCritical
Usage feelOften negative or critical
FormalityNeutral
English Equivalent
- Fake it.
- Not pull your weight.
- Imposter in the group.
English equivalents capture the general idea, but they may not fit every context exactly.
Modern Usage Example
He was 滥竽充数 in the orchestra — he couldn't actually play.
Chinese Example Sentences
团队里不能滥竽充数。
A team can't carry people who fake their skills.
Origin Story
King Xuan of Qi enjoyed grand ensembles. A musician who couldn't play the yu pretended to play among hundreds. When the king wanted solos, he fled.
When Natives Use It
Good fit
- Teams
- Auditions
- Workplace performance reviews
Avoid
Can be harsh. Use for clear freeloading, not struggling beginners.
- Common in speech
- Common in writing
- Sounds natural today
- Possible but uncommon in casual chat
- More common in writing or commentary
- Use with care — can sound critical
Similar and Opposite Chengyu
Daily Quiz
Which best matches 滥竽充数?
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