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Idiom: 滥竽充数 – Filling a Position Without the Skills

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Idiom: 滥竽充数 – Filling a Position Without the Skills

Ever bluffed your way into a job you couldn’t actually do? Well, meet Mr. Nanguo, who faked playing an instrument for years and got paid handsomely for it.

滥lǎn竽充chong数shǔ

战国Zhàn guó时期shí qī,齐国Qí guó的de国王guó wáng齐Qí宣xuan王Wáng非常fēi cháng喜欢xǐ huan听yǐn音yīn乐Lè,特别tè bié喜欢xǐ huan听yǐn一种yī zhǒng叫jiào”竽”的de乐器yuè qì。竽的de声音shēng yīn又yòu大dà又yòu好听hǎo tīng,但dàn是shì齐Qí宣xuan王Wáng有yǒu一个yī ge特别tè bié的de爱好ài hào——他tā不bù喜欢xǐ huan听yǐn一个人yī gè rén吹chuī,他tā喜欢xǐ huan听yǐn很hěn多duō人rén一起yī qǐ吹chuī。每次měi cì演奏yǎn zòu,他tā都Dū要yāo三Sān百Bǎi个人gè rén同时tóng shí吹chuī竽,声音shēng yīn像xiàng大风dà fēng一yī样yàng,他tā听yǐn得dé非常fēi cháng高兴gāo xìng。

当时dāng shí有yǒu一个人yī gè rén,叫jiào南郭Nán guō先生xiān sheng。他tā根本gēn běn不会bù huì吹chuī竽,一点儿yī diǎn r也Yě不会bù huì。但dàn是shì他tā听说tīng shuō,给gěi国王guó wáng吹chuī竽的de人rén,工资gōng zī很hěn高Gāo,生shēng活huó很hěn好hǎo。于是yú shì他tā想出xiǎng chū了le一个yī ge办法bàn fǎ。

他tā来lái到dào王宫wáng gōng,对duì国王guó wáng说shuì:”大王dà wáng,我wǒ吹chuī竽吹chuī得dé非常fēi cháng好hǎo,请qǐng让ràng我wǒ为wéi您nín演奏yǎn zòu吧bā。”齐Qí宣xuan王Wáng很hěn高兴gāo xìng,没有méi yǒu考kǎo他tā,就jìu让ràng他tā加入jiā rù了le乐Lè队duì。

从cóng那Nā以yǐ后Hòu,每次měi cì演奏yǎn zòu的de时shí候hòu,南郭Nán guō先生xiān sheng就jìu站zhàn在zài三Sān百Bǎi人中rén zhōng间jiān。别人bié ren吹chuī,他tā也Yě把bǎ竽放fàng在zài嘴zuǐ边biān,摇yāo头tóu晃huáng脑nǎo,看kān起qǐ来lái非常fēi cháng认真rèn zhēn,非常fēi cháng投入tóu rù。其实qí shí,他tā一点yī diǎn声音shēng yīn也Yě没有méi yǒu发出fā chū来lái。因为yīn wèi人rén太tài多duō了le,谁shéi也Yě听yǐn不bù出chū来lái。

就jìu这zhè样yàng,南郭Nán guō先生xiān sheng什shén么má都Dū不会bù huì,却què和hé大家dà jiā拿ná一yī样yàng的de工资gōng zī,过Guō了le好几年hǎo jǐ nián舒服shū fu的de日子rì zi。

可是kě shì好日子hǎo rì zi不bù长cháng。后Hòu来lái,齐Qí宣xuan王Wáng去世qù shì了le,他tā的de儿子ér zi齐Qí湣王Wáng当dāng了le国王guó wáng。

新Xīn国王guó wáng也Yě喜欢xǐ huan听yǐn竽,但dàn是shì他tā和hé父亲fù qīn不一bù yī样yàng——他tā不bù喜欢xǐ huan听yǐn大家dà jiā一起yī qǐ吹chuī,他tā喜欢xǐ huan听yǐn一个yī ge一个yī ge地de吹chuī。他tā下xià了le命令mìng lìng:从cóng明天míng tiān开始kāi shǐ,三Sān百Bǎi个人gè rén,每天měi tiān一个人yī gè rén,单独dān dú为wéi我wǒ演奏yǎn zòu。

南郭Nán guō先生xiān sheng听到tīng dào这个zhè ge消xiāo息xī,脸liǎn都Dū白Bái了le。

那天nà tiān晚上wǎn shang,他tā收shōu拾shè好hǎo自己zì jǐ的de东Dōng西Xī,悄悄qiāo qiāo地de逃tāo走zǒu了le。从此cóng cǐ,再zài也Yě没有méi yǒu人rén见jiàn过Guō他tā。

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Lesson vocabulary 161 words · 10 curated by the source

WordPinyinMeaning
乐器yuè qìmusical instrument
演奏yǎn zòuto perform (music)
根本gēn běnat all; fundamentally
工资gōng zīsalary; wages
办法bàn fǎmethod; way; solution
认真rèn zhēnserious; conscientious
投入tóu rùabsorbed; engaged
去世qù shìto pass away; to die
命令mìng lìngorder; command
悄悄qiāo qiāoquietly; secretly
战国Zhàn guóthe Warring States period (475-221 BC)
时期shí qīperiod; phase; CL:個|个[ge4]
齐国Qí guóQi state of Western Zhou and the Warring states (1122-265 BC), centered in Shandong
的deof; ~'s (possessive particle); (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun); (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis); (used after a noun, verb or adjective to…
国王guó wángking
齐Qí(name of states and dynasties at several different periods); surname Qi
宣xuanto declare; to announce; to publicize; to spread
王Wángsurname Wang
非常fēi chángvery; really; unusual; extraordinary
喜欢xǐ huanto like; to be fond of
听yǐnsmile (archaic); to listen to; to hear; to heed; to obey; a can (loanword from English "tin"); classifier for canned beverages; to let be; to allow (Taiwan pr. [ting4]); (literary) to administer; t…
音yīnsound; noise; note (of musical scale); tone; news; syllable; reading (phonetic value of a character)
乐Lèsurname Le
特别tè biéunusual; special; very; especially; particularly; expressly; for a specific purpose; (often followed by 是[shi4]) in particular
一种yī zhǒngone kind of; one type of
叫jiàoto shout; to call; to order; to ask; to be called; by (indicates agent in the passive mood); variant of 叫[jiao4]
竽
声音shēng yīnsound; voice
又yòu(once) again; also; both... and...; and yet; (used for emphasis) anyway
大dàbig; large; great; older (than another person); eldest (as in 大姐[da4 jie3]); greatly; freely; fully; (dialect) father; (dialect) uncle (father's brother)
好听hǎo tīngpleasant to hear
但dànbut; yet; however; still; merely; only; just
是shìto be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true; (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well; (adverb for emphatic assertion); variant of 是[shi4]
有yǒuto have; there is; (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意[you3 yi4] intentional)
一个yī gea; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
爱好ài hàoto like; to be fond of; to take pleasure in; to be keen on; interest; hobby
他tā(third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his; (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日[ta1 ri4] and 他人[ta1 ren2])
不bùno; not so; (bound form) not; un-
一个人yī gè rénby oneself (without assistance); alone (without company)
吹chuīto blow; to play a wind instrument; to blast; to puff; to boast; to brag; to end in failure; to fall through
很hěnvery; quite; (also, often used before an adjective without intensifying its meaning, i.e. as a meaningless syntactic element)
多duōmany; much; more; a lot of; too many; in excess; (after a numeral) ... odd; how (to what extent) (Taiwan pr. [duo2]); (bound form) multi-; poly-
人rénperson; people; CL:個|个[ge4],位[wei4],名[ming2]
一起yī qǐ(in) the same place; together; in company (with); altogether; in total; an instance of; a case of (murder, accident, dispute etc)
每次měi cìevery time
都Dūsurname Du
要yāo(bound form) to demand; to coerce
三Sānsurname San
百Bǎisurname Bai
个人gè rénan individual; oneself; (attributive) personal; one's own
同时tóng shíat the same time; simultaneously
像xiàngto resemble; to be like; to look as if; such as; appearance; image; portrait; image under a mapping (math.)
大风dà fēnggale; CL:場|场[chang2]
一yīone; single; a (article); as soon as; entire; whole; all; throughout; "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1); also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out …
样yàngmanner; pattern; way; appearance; shape; classifier: kind, type
得déto obtain; to get; to gain; to catch (a disease); proper; suitable; proud; contented; to allow; to permit; ready; finished
高兴gāo xìnghappy; glad; willing (to do sth); in a cheerful mood
当时dāng shíthen; at that time
南郭Nán guōtwo-character surname Nanguo
先生xiān shengteacher; gentleman; sir; mister (Mr.); husband; (dialect) doctor; CL:位[wei4]
不会bù huìimprobable; unlikely; will not (act, happen etc); not able; not having learned to do sth; (coll.) (Tw) don't mention it; not at all
一点儿yī diǎn rerhua variant of 一點|一点[yi1 dian3]
也Yěsurname Ye
听说tīng shuōto hear (sth said); one hears (that); hearsay; listening and speaking
给gěito; for; for the benefit of; to give; to allow; to do sth (for sb); (grammatical equivalent of 被); (grammatical equivalent of 把); (sentence intensifier)
高Gāosurname Gao
生shēngto grow; to give birth; to produce; to be born; to arise; to occur; to light (a fire); to live; to be alive; life; raw; uncooked; unprocessed; unfamiliar; strange; (bound form) stu…
活huóto live; alive; living; work; workmanship
好hǎogood; appropriate; proper; all right!; (before a verb) easy to; (before a verb) good to; (before an adjective for exclamatory effect) so; (verb complement indicating completion); (…
于是yú shìthereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence
想出xiǎng chūto figure out; to work out (a solution etc); to think up; to come up with (an idea etc)
了le(completed action marker); (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now); (modal particle intensifying preceding clause); (bound form) clear in one's mind; to understand clearly
来láito come; (used as a substitute for a more specific verb); hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來|回来[hui2 lai5]); ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4 gu3…
到dàoto reach; to arrive; to leave for; to go to; to (a place); until (a time); up to (a point); (verb complement indicating arriving at a place or reaching a point); considerate; thoug…
王宫wáng gōngimperial palace
对duìright; correct; towards; at; for; concerning; regarding; to treat (sb a certain way); to face; (bound form) opposite; facing; matching; to match together; to adjust; to fit; to sui…
说shuìto persuade; variant of 說|说[shuo1]
大王dà wángking; magnate; person having expert skill in something
我wǒI; me; my
请qǐngto ask; to invite; please (do sth); to treat (to a meal etc); to request
让ràngto yield; to permit; to let sb do sth; to have sb do sth; to make sb (feel sad etc); by (indicates the agent in a passive clause, like 被[bei4])
为wéias (in the capacity of); to take sth as; to act as; to serve as; to behave as; to become; to be; to do; by (in the passive voice); variant of 為|为[wei2]
您nínyou (courteous, as opposed to informal 你[ni3])
吧bābar (loanword) (serving drinks, or providing Internet access etc); to puff (on a pipe etc); (onom.) bang; abbr. for 貼吧|贴吧[tie1 ba1]
没有méi yǒuhaven't; hasn't; doesn't exist; to not have; to not be
考kǎoto beat; to hit; variant of 考[kao3]; to inspect; to test; to take an exam; to check; to verify; to test; to examine; to take an exam; to take an entrance exam for; deceased father
就jìu(after a suppositional clause) in that case; then; (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after; (same as 就是[jiu4 shi4]) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precise…
加入jiā rùto become a member; to join; to mix into; to participate in; to add in
队duìsquadron; team; group; CL:個|个[ge4]
从cóngvariant of 從|从[cong2]; surname Cong
那Nāsurname Na
以yǐold variant of 以[yi3]; abbr. for Israel 以色列[Yi3 se4 lie4]
后Hòusurname Hou; back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later; post-
时shíold variant of 時|时[shi2]; surname Shi
候hòuto wait; to inquire after; to watch; season; climate; (old) period of five days
站zhànstation; to stand; to halt; to stop; branch of a company or organization; website
在zàito exist; to be alive; (of sb or sth) to be (located) at; (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)
人中rén zhōngphiltrum; infranasal depression; the "human center" acupuncture point
间jiānbetween; among; within a definite time or space; room; section of a room or lateral space between two pairs of pillars; classifier for rooms
别人bié renother people; others; other person
把bǎto hold; to grasp; to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate; handlebar; classifier: handful, bundle, bunch; classifier for things with handles; (used to put the ob…
放fàngto put; to place; to release; to free; to let go; to let out; to set off (fireworks)
嘴zuǐmouth; beak; nozzle; spout (of teapot etc); CL:張|张[zhang1],個|个[ge4]
边biānside; edge; margin; border; boundary; CL:個|个[ge4]; simultaneously
摇yāoto shake; to wave; to rock; to sway
头tóuhead; hair style; the top; end; beginning or end; a stub; remnant; chief; boss; side; aspect; first; leading; classifier for pigs or livestock; CL:個|个[ge4]
晃huángto sway; to shake; to flash past (huang4); to dazzle (huang3)
脑nǎobrain; mind; head; essence
看kānto look after; to take care of; to watch; to guard
起qǐto rise; to raise; to get up; to set out; to start; to appear; to launch; to initiate (action); to draft; to establish; to get (from a depot or counter); verb suffix, to start; sta…
其实qí shíactually; in fact; really
一点yī diǎna bit; a little bit; (used in negative expressions) (not) the least bit; (after an adjective, used to form the comparative) a bit more, -er; a point (in a discussion etc); (calligr…
发出fā chūto issue (an order, decree etc); to send out; to dispatch; to produce (a sound); to let out (a laugh)
因为yīn wèibecause; owing to; on account of
太tàihighest; greatest; too (much); very; extremely
谁shéiwho; also pr. [shui2]
出chūto go out; to come out; to arise; to occur; to produce; to yield; to go beyond; to exceed; (used after a verb to indicate an outward direction or a positive result); classifier for…; variant of 出[chu1] (classifier for plays or chapters of classical novels)
这zhè(pronoun) this; these; (bound form) this; the (followed by a noun); (bound form) this; these (followed by a classifier) (in this sense, commonly pr. [zhei4], esp. in Beijing)
什shénwhat
么máexclamatory final particle; variant of 麼|么[me5]
却quèold variant of 卻|却[que4]; but; yet; however; while; to go back; to decline; to retreat; nevertheless; even though
和héold variant of 和[he2]; surname He; (literary) harmonious (variant of 和[he2])
大家dà jiāeveryone; influential family; great expert
拿náold variant of 拿[na2]; variant of 拿[na2]; to hold; to seize; to catch; to apprehend; to take; (used in the same way as 把[ba3]: to mark the following noun as a direct object)
过Guōsurname Guo
好几年hǎo jǐ niánseveral years
舒服shū fucomfortable; feeling well
日子rì ziday; a (calendar) date; days of one's life
可是kě shìbut; however; (used for emphasis) indeed
好日子hǎo rì ziauspicious day; good day; happy life
长chánglong; (bound form) length; (bound form) strong point; forte; (bound form) to be good at; (literary) surplus; spare (Taiwan pr. [zhang4])
儿子ér zison
湣
当dāng(onom.) dong; ding dong (bell); to be; to act as; manage; withstand; when; during; ought; should; match equally; equal; same; obstruct; just at (a time or place); on the spot; right; just at
新Xīnabbr. for Xinjiang 新疆[Xin1 jiang1]; abbr. for Singapore 新加坡[Xin1 jia1 po1]; surname Xin
父亲fù qīnfather; also pr. [fu4 qin5]; CL:個|个[ge4]
不一bù yīto vary; to differ
地de-ly; structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct
下xiàdown; downwards; below; lower; later; next (week etc); second (of two parts); to decline; to go down; to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc); measure word to show the frequency …
明天míng tiāntomorrow
开始kāi shǐto begin; to start; beginning; start
每天měi tiānevery day
单独dān dúalone; by oneself; on one's own
听到tīng dàoto hear
这个zhè ge(pronoun) this; (adjective) this
消xiāoto diminish; to subside; to consume; to reduce; to idle away (the time); (after 不[bu4] or 只[zhi3] or 何[he2] etc) to need; to require; to take
息xībreath; news; interest (on an investment or loan); to cease; to stop; to rest; Taiwan pr. [xi2]
脸liǎnface; CL:張|张[zhang1],個|个[ge4]
白Báisurname Bai; Bai ethnic group
那天nà tiānthat day; the other day
晚上wǎn shangevening; night; CL:個|个[ge4]; in the evening
收shōuto receive; to accept; to collect; to put away; to restrain; to stop; in care of (used on address line after name)
拾shèto ascend in light steps
自己zì jǐoneself; (attributive) one's own
东Dōngsurname Dong
西Xīthe West; abbr. for Spain 西班牙[Xi1 ban1 ya2]; Spanish
逃tāoto escape; to flee
走zǒuto walk; to go; to run; to move (of vehicle); to visit; to leave; to go away; to die (euph.); from; through; away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走[che4 zou3]); to change (shape, form…
从此cóng cǐfrom now on; since then; henceforth
再zàiagain; once more; re-; further; beyond this point of time; (before an adjective) more; then (after sth, and not until then); no matter how ... (followed by an adjective or verb, an…
见jiànto see; to meet; to appear (to be sth); to interview; opinion; view