Chinese symbol for “backwards”
逆向
nì xiàng
backwards; reverse direction
The closest CC-CEDICT match for backwards is 逆向 (nì xiàng), defined as: backwards; reverse direction.
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Characters and stroke order
Other Chinese words for “backwards”
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 朝后 (朝後) | cháo hòu | backwards; facing back |
| 逆 | nì | contrary; opposite |
| 倒着 (倒著) | dào zhe | backwards; in reverse; upside down |
Related words
Other words that share a character with 逆向.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 逆转 (逆轉) | nì zhuǎn | to turn back; to reverse |
| 叛逆 | pàn nì | to rebel; to revolt |
| 逆袭 (逆襲) | nì xí | to counterattack; to strike back; (neologism, attested by 2008) (of an underdog) to go on the offensive; to make an improbable comeback |
| 可逆 | kě nì | reversible; (math.) invertible |
| 逆境 | nì jìng | adversity; predicament |
| 方向 | fāng xiàng | direction; orientation |
| 走向 | zǒu xiàng | direction; strike (i.e. angle of inclination in geology) |
| 倾向 (傾向) | qīng xiàng | trend; tendency |
See also: Japanese symbol for “backwards”.
Data: CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0); Unihan Database (Unicode License v3); Make Me a Hanzi (Arphic Public License (graphics.txt); LGPL-3.0-or-later (dictionary.txt)); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.