Fluorescence blinking means that,even under the constant illumination,the fluorescence emission of a single fluorophore exhibits surprising intermittency,ie.the random,significant and frequent switching between “bright” and “dark” states.This phenomenon was first discovered in organic fluorescent molecules,fluorescent proteins and semiconductor quantum dots.Subsequent studies showed that it was often observed in versatile types of fluorescent nanomaterials.Fluorescence blinking has not only deepened greatly the fundamental understanding on the photophysical processes of molecules and semiconductors,but also brought opportunities and challenges for the in depth applications of fluorescent materials in broad fields such as biosensing,imaging and optoelectronic devices.In this review,the main characteristics and research status of fluorescence blinking are briefly described,and the photophysical mechanism behind it is also systematically introduced.By reviewing the fluorescence blinking characteristics of several kinds of typical nanomaterials,the advantages and disadvantages of fluorescence blinking are discussed.Finally,the future trend in this field is prospected.