inferior imitator; copycat; poor imitation
Used for a person or work that merely copies an original without matching its quality. Often carries a negative or dismissive tone.
His work is nothing more than a poor imitation of the master's.
That band is said to be a copycat of a famous group.
He is known as a follower of the Yangming school of thought.
That painter is positioned as an adherent of the Impressionist school.
From 亜 (a, 'sub-', 'secondary') + 流 (ryū, 'school', 'style'). Literally 'sub-school' or 'branch style', it originally referred to a derivative school of thought or art, later gaining the negative nuance of a poor imitation.