a disgrace to the group; can't hold a candle to
Used to say someone is so disgraceful that even standing upwind of them would be unbearable; often in the pattern 〜の風上にも置けない.
あんな嘘つきは人間の風上にも置けない。
A liar like that is a disgrace to humanity.
彼の行動はチームの風上にも置けないものだった。
His behavior was something that brought shame on the whole team.
Standard kanji spelling for this idiomatic expression.
Kana spelling of the verb part; less common but still seen.
Literally 'cannot even be placed upwind'. The image is that someone is so disgraceful or contemptible that you wouldn't want them upwind of you, where their stench would blow your way.