滥竽充数

làn yú chōng shù

lit. to play the yu 竽 mouth organ to make up numbers (idiom); fig. to make up the numbers with inferior products

to masquerade as having an ability; token member of a group

滥

làn

overflowing

竽

yú

free reed wind instrument similar to the sheng 笙[sheng1], used in ancient China

充

chōng

sufficient; full

数

shù

number; figure