N-UNCOUNT 炮灰;牺牲品 If someone in authority regards people they are in charge of as cannon fodder, they do not care if these people are harmed or lost in the course of their work. 炮灰;牺牲品
The conscripts were treated as cannon fodder.
应征入伍者被当做炮灰。
Many cynical managers see employees as cannon fodder.