The invention discloses a finite element model correcting method based on reverse substructures. The method includes the following steps of firstly, measuring a test mode of an actual engineering structure to establish the test mode of the whole structure; secondly, dividing the test mode of the whole structure into test modes of the independent substructures through the relation between the test mode parameters of the independent substructures and the test mode parameters of the whole structure; thirdly, establishing a target function on the basis of the test modes of the independent substructures, adjusting the parameters of the independent substructures, minimizing the target function, obtaining the optimal structural parameters of the substructures, and correcting finite element models of the independent substructures according to the optimal structural parameters; fourthly, completing structure damage recognition according to the changes, happening before and after structure damage, of finite model structure parameters. By means of the method, by correcting the models of the independent substructures, the models of the whole structure are prevented from being repeatedly analyzed, the accuracy and efficiency of the finite element model correcting method can be greatly improved, and high practicability is achieved.