害软骨病

Traditional (Taiwan): 害軟骨病

hàiruǎngǔbìng ㄏㄞˋ ㄖㄨㄢˇ ㄍㄨˇ ㄅㄧㄥˋ

    • to have no backbone
    • to lack the courage to stand up for what is right

Character by character

Saying俗语俗語

Idiom惯用语 · Widely known

Literally
to get rickets (soft-bone disease)
Meaning
To be weak-willed and lack the courage to stand up for what is right, or to lose one's integrity under serious pressure. Contemptuous; like "having no backbone".

Sources