Disclosed is a negative electrode which is capable of improving large current characteristics, while maintaining the battery capacity of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. Specifically disclosed is a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which comprises a sheet-like negative electrode collector and a negative electrode mixture layer that is arranged on the surface of the negative electrode collector. The negative electrode mixture layer contains graphite particles and ceramic particles that intervene among the graphite particles. The average particle diameter of the ceramic particles is smaller than the average particle diameter of the graphite particles. In the x-ray diffraction pattern of the negative electrode mixture layer, the ratio (R) of the intensity (I110) of a peak ascribed to the (110) plane of the graphite particles to the intensity (I002) of a peak ascribed to the (002) plane of the graphite particles, namely I110/I002 is not less than 0.05. The negative electrode mixture layer has a density of 1.1-1.8 g/cm3.