► 成句
墓穴 [ぼけつ] [墓穴を掘る] meaning: backfire rank: 3
☆ 彼は言い訳をしようとして逆に墓穴を掘った ⇨ He tried to make an excuse and ended up digging his own grave instead (☛ Exactly the same with “dig your own grave”)
► 名詞
裏目 [うらめ] [裏目に出る] meaning: backfire rank: 2
☆ 彼の策略は裏目に出た ⇨ His trickery backfired
逆効果 [(4)ぎゃくこうか] meaning: backfire rank: 3
☆ 子供に余りガミガミ言うと逆効果になる ⇨ If you nag your children too much it will have an opposite effect, be counter-productive
藪蛇 [やぶへび] meaning: backfire rank: 4
☆ 取り立てて問題が無いところを微調整しようとしてやぶ蛇になった ⇨ I tried to fine-tune when there was no immediate problem and it backfired (☛ The original phrase is 藪をつついて蛇を出す = poke around the bush and drives out a snake. Do something unnecessary, unsolicited and make things worse)