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滥竽充数
战国时，齐宣王喜欢听竽，通常是三百人的大合奏。因为他给予乐师非常优厚的待遇，所以一个叫南郭的人尽管并不擅长吹竽，也设法混进乐队。当乐队演奏时，他就站在队伍里假装也在吹。没有人注意到其实他连一点声音也没吹出来，所以南郭也享受到和其他乐师一样的待遇。宣王死后，他的儿子继承了王位。他也喜欢听竽，可是他喜欢听独奏，让乐师一个个吹给他听，于是南郭不得不逃跑了。
"滥竽充数"这个成语用来嘲笑那些没有真正才干，混在行家里的人。
Be there just to make up the number
In the Warring States period of China (475-221 B.C.), there was a state called Qi, the king of which was very fond of listening to the music played on the Yu, a wind instrument. So he convened a band of more than 300 players from his state. Everyday the band was called in to play the Yu for his Majesty at teatime. And the king seemed to be very satisfied with the band and the harmonies performed. He gave the bandsmen very profound payment.
As a matter of fact, one of the players, Nan Guo, knew nothing about the instrument. But he did manage to pass himself off and went on well with his tricks that each time he tried to seat himself behind and pretended to be playing the Yu together with the others. And everything seemed good for him. He had never been exposed.
Finally, his days were gone when the prince ascended the throne. As the latter would enjoy solo rather than harmony, the players were called each in to play alone before the king. Therefore, Nan Guo had to run out of the palace.
The story describes the case in which the spurious is mixed with the genuine. The idiom "Be there just to make up the number" is used to mock someone who passes for a specialist. You can also hear people saying it about themselves to show their modesty.
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