Idiom stories about pretending to understand when you don’t understand

Idiom: To make up the numbers.

Historical allusions from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The literal meaning is: people who can't play the Yu join the team of Yu players to make up for their skills. It is a metaphor for people who have no real talent and knowledge to mix among experts and pass off the best.

People also often use the phrase "false words to make up for the numbers" to describe those who don't understand and pretend to understand.

The idiom "Indiscriminate use of the Yu to make up for the numbers" comes from "Han Feizi Nei Chu Shuo": "King Xuan of Qi asked people to play the Yu; there must be three hundred people. The Nankuo minister asked to play the Yu for the king; King Xuan said (Yue ). Hundreds of people went to eat. King Xuan died. He listened to them one by one. The story goes like this: In ancient times, the king of Qi, King Xuan of Qi, loved music. , especially likes to listen to Yu playing, and has 300 musicians who are good at playing Yu. King Xuan of Qi liked liveliness and ostentation, and always wanted to show his majesty as a king in front of others, so every time he heard the Yu played, he always asked these 300 people to join together and play for him.

A Mr. Nanguo heard about King Xuan of Qi’s hobby and thought it was a good opportunity to make money. So he went to King Xuan of Qi and boasted about himself: “Your Majesty, I am a famous person. "I am a great musician. Everyone who has heard me play the yu has been moved. Even the birds and animals will dance gracefully, and the flowers and plants will tremble in time. I am willing to dedicate my unique skills to the king." King Xuan of Qi heard this. He was so happy that he readily accepted him without any further investigation and incorporated him into the 300-person Yu playing team.

After that, Mr. Nan Guo accompanied the 300 people to perform for King Xuan of Qi. He received a generous salary and generous rewards like everyone else, and he was very proud.

Later, people often used this story to describe those who have no real talent and knowledge and mix them with experts, passing off the best.

It is also often used to describe people who don’t understand and pretend to understand.