Definify.com

Definition 2025

See also: 滥竽充数

		filling a position without having the necessary qualifications	to add unqualified members to a group of experts; to pad the numbers
trad. (濫竽充數)		濫竽	充數
simp. (滥竽充数)		滥竽	充数

濫竽充數

↑ Because 南郭 has multiple meanings, the sentence could also be translated as:

a. "A reclusive scholar, from a city in the south, asked if he could play the yu for the king."

b. "A reclusive scholar, (whose surname was) Nanguo, asked if he could play the yu for the king."
↑ Even though the man couldn't actually play the yu, he figured he could play silently among the 300 men, so that he could receive special treatment by the king.

c. 280–233 BCE: Han Fei, Han Feizi/Chapter 30. Inner Assortment of Parables: The Seven Tactics, Part 1 (《韓非子·內儲說上七術第三十》)
齊宣王使人吹竽，必三百人。南郭處士請爲王吹竽，宣王說之，廩食以數百人。宣王死，湣王立，好一一聽之，處士逃。
(Whenever) King Xuan of Qi had men play the yu, there had to be 300 men (playing simultaneously). A reclusive scholar, (who was living near the) southern wall of the city,^[1] asked if he could play the yu for the king.^[2] King Xuan was delighted by this, and dispensed enough food rations for several hundred (musicians). (Then) King Xuan died, and King Min took the throne. He preferred to listen to (the yu players) one-by-one, (so) the reclusive scholar fled. (Wiktionary translation)