A mechanism for realizing nonreciprocal elementary excitation of spin wave (SW) is proposed. We study a reference model which describes a magnonic crystal (MC) formed by two Heisenberg chains with a lateral displacement (dislocation) and a longitudinal spacer, and derive a criterion to judge whether the elementary excitation spectra are reciprocal in this ferromagnetic lattice. An analytical method based on the spin precession equation is used to solve the elementary excitation spectra. The solution is related to a key factor, the spatio-temporal structure factor [Formula: see text], which can be directly calculated through the structural parameters. When it keeps invariant under the reversions of the external magnetic field [Formula: see text] and the dislocation [Formula: see text], or one of them, the spectra are reciprocal. Otherwise, the SW possesses nonreciprocal spectra with direction-dependent band edges and exhibits a directional magnetoresistance effect. This criterion can be regarded as a necessary and sufficient condition for the (non)reciprocity in the spin lattice. Besides, this novel lattice provides a prototype for spin diodes and spin logic gates.