underfunded office; unprofitable post
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
government office that did not handle money and offered no opportunities for graft (historical)
archaicHistorical term referring to Qing Dynasty or earlier government offices that managed non-financial matters, where officials could not easily embezzle funds.
In ancient times, the Ministry of Rites was considered a 'clear water yamen', unlike the Ministry of Revenue which managed money and grain.
Although those 'clear water yamens' offered no opportunities for graft, they also had fewer affairs and were rather leisurely.
noun
government department or public institution with little funding and few benefits
neutralModern metaphorical usage, often used by employees to complain about low salaries and poor benefits, or by others to describe underfunded but sometimes less stressful positions.
Our unit is a 'clear water yamen'—just that fixed salary every month.
Although this is an underfunded office with little real power, the job is stable and the pressure is low.
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Everyone wants to go to the finance department; no one is willing to stay in an underfunded office.