'Shī wèi sù cān' is a classical idiom describing someone who holds an official position but contributes nothing—like a lifeless corpse occupying a post while passively consuming meals. The four characters combine literally: 'shī' (corpse), 'wèi' (position/post), 'sù' (plain, unearned), and 'cān' (meal). Historically, it mocked bureaucrats who drew salaries without fulfilling duties—a sharp critique rooted in Confucian ideals of responsibility and merit.

Today, it’s used formally or satirically to criticize incompetence, negligence, or empty titles across government, corporate, or academic settings. Though literary, it remains vivid and widely understood in news commentary, political satire, and formal writing. It carries strong negative connotation and implies moral failure—not mere inefficiency—and is rarely used neutrally or self-deprecatingly.