Symbolic sequences arising from the coarse graining of deterministic dynamical systems continuous in phase space are considered. The extent to which signatures of the time irreversibility and of the nonequilibrium constraints at the level of the original system, such as fluxes or dissipation, can be identified at the coarse-grained level is analyzed. The roles of the partition, of the time window, and of time averaging in distinguishing in a clear-cut way the equilibrium versus nonequilibrium character of the sequence are brought out.