There is provided a cutting insert having a low possibility that chips roughen a machined surface of a workpiece in back turning. The cutting insert includes a rake surface, a peripheral side surface, a front cutting edge which is provided on a ridge of the rake surface and the peripheral side surface, and a main cutting edge which is provided on the ridge so as to be continuous with the front cutting edge and has an extension direction which forms an obtuse angle with an extension direction of the front cutting edge, the main cutting edge is curved into a U shape over an entire length of an effective edge range which functions as a cutting blade, and the deepest point of the U shape is positioned in a range closer to a side of a corner than a position which divides a straight line connecting both ends of the main cutting edge at a ratio of 2:1 from the side of the corner positioned adjacent to the front cutting edge.