Red/near-infrared　emitting　carbon　dots(marked　as　R/NIR-CDs)　have　the　advantages　of　good　biocompatibility　and　high　spatial　resolution,　which　had　attracted　the　attention　of　researchers.　However,　the　currently　reported　red　carbon　dots　often　have　the　defects　of　low　fluorescence　quantum　efficiency,　wide　full　width　at　half-maximum　and　excitation　wavelength　dependence,　which　limit　their　application　in　the　biomedical　field.　Therefore,　it　is　of　great　significance　to　synthesize　carbon　dots　with　high　photoluminescence　quantum　yield(PLQY),　narrow　half-width　and　excitation-independent　red/near-infrared　emission.　This　article　first　describes　several　representative　typical　precursors　and　their　synthesized　carbon　dots　in　recent　years,　and　then　summarizes　several　efficient　regulation　methods　for　the　optical　properties　of　CDs　such　as　size　effect,　heteroatom　doping,　surface　state,　etc,　and　briefly　introduces　the　application　of　red/near　infrared　emitting　carbon　dots　in　bioimaging,　disease　treatment　and　white　light　emitting　diodes.　Finally,　the　problems　and　challenges　faced　in　the　luminescence　mechanism　and　the　preparation　method　of　red/near-infrared　emitting　carbon　dots　are　prospected.　©　2021,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.