Background:　Polycyclic　aromatic　hydrocarbons　(PAHs)　are　typical　residential　pollutants　mainly　from　biofuel　combus-tion　that　impose　inevitable　risk　to　children.　The　PAHs　in　residential　dust　is　universal　in　most　Chinese　households　withan　obvious　public　health　concern.Methods:　In　this　observational　study,　a　total　of　235　residential　dust　samples　from　8　Chinese　cities　(Panjin,　Shijiazhuang,Lanzhou,　Luoyang,　Xi＇an,　Wuxi,　Mianyang,　and　Shenzhen)　were　collected　from　April　2018　to　March　2019,　which　wereextracted　and　analyzed　for　16　priority　PAHs　by　HPLC/FD-UV.　Diagnostic　ratios,　hierarchical　clustering　analysis　andprincipal　component　analysis　were　applied　simultaneously　for　source　apportionments.　Incremental　lifetime　cancerrisk　was　employed　to　estimate　children＇s　health　risks　based　on　the　assumed　exposure　scenarios.　Spearman　correlation,Mann-WhitneyUtest,　Kruskal-WallisHtest　and　Partial　Least　Squares　were　used　to　screen　the　factors　affecting　the　con-centration　of　PAHs　in　residential　dust.Results:The　median　concentration　of　n-ary　sumation　16PAHs　in　residential　dust　from　8　cities　was　44.11　mu　g/g　(0.04　-　355.79　mu　g/g).　n-ary　sumation　16PAHs　were　found　both　higher　in　dust　samples　in　heating　season　and　from　downwind　households　only　in　Mianyang(p＜0.05).　The　leading　two　sources　of　PAHs　were　combustion　processes　and　automobile　exhaust　emissions　based　onfour　principal　components　that　accounted　for　74.29　%　of　the　total　variance.　Indoor　air　environmental　factors,　house-hold　characteristics,　and　residents＇　behavioral　lifestyles　may　be　the　influencing　factors　of　residential　dust　PAHs.　Thecarcinogenic　risk　of　children　aged　0　-　5　years,　under　the　moderate　exposure　level　of　PAHs　in　residential　dust,　exceededthe　acceptable　level　(10-5-10-4for　dermal　contact　and　10-6-10-5for　ingestion)Conclusions:　There　was　serious　PAHs　pollution　in　residential　dust　under　actual　living　conditions　in　eight　cities　acrossChina.　More　evidence-based　measures　were　needed　to　control　PAHs　pollution　to　safeguard　children＇s　health　accordingto　appointed　sources　and　influencing　factors　in　residential　dus