Maybe this will help: recharacterization would be putting it into Roth, then finding out you didn't qualify, so you put it into Trad IRA as nondeductible.

In the past, you could change your mind and recharacterize a Roth conversion back to a traditional IRA. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 banned recharacterizing the account balance of a Roth conversion back to a traditional IRA. Roth IRA conversions are now irrevocable. A conversion from a traditional IRA, SEP or SIMPLE to a Roth IRA cannot be recharacterized. The new law also prohibits recharacterizing amounts rolled over to a Roth IRA from other retirement plans, such as 401(k) or 403(b) plans.