滥竽充数 in English lan4 yu2 chong1 shu4 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) to play the yu 竽 mouth organ to make up numbers (idiomatic expression); metaphorically to make up the numbers with inferior products
  • to masquerade as having an ability
  • token member of a group

Simplified Characters

滥 竽 充 数

Traditional Characters

濫 竽 充 數

Pinyin

lan4 yu2 chong1 shu4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

滥lan4overflowing 竽yu2free reed wind instrument similar to the sheng 笙[sheng1], used in ancient China 充chong1to fill 数shu4to count