backfire (of a spell, curse, etc.)
Used in fantasy, gaming, or occult contexts when a spell or curse rebounds on the caster instead of the intended target.
The spell backfired, and the caster took damage.
The more powerful the curse, the higher the risk of backfire.
Compound of 逆 (reverse) and 凪 (calm, lull). The exact origin is uncertain; it likely arose in fantasy or occult literature to describe a spell rebounding like a reversed wind.