nú​mǎ​liàn​zhàn​dòu

an incompetent person clings to a good position

  1. inferior horse
    (literary) a slow or worn-out horse; a horse of poor quality
  2. liàn verbadjective
    to feel attached to
    (bound form) to long for; to be reluctant to leave or give up
  3. fodder
    (literary) beans or similar animal feed stored in a stable; metaphorically refers to a small salary or petty profit that keeps one from seeking higher ambitions