With　advances　in　quantum　computing,　researchers　can　now　write　and　run　many　quantum　programs.　However,　there　is　still　a　lack　of　effective　methods　for　debugging　quantum　programs.　In　this　paper,　quantum　symbolic　execution　(QSE)　is　proposed　to　generate　test　cases,　which　helps　to　find　bugs　in　quantum　programs.　The　main　idea　of　quantum　symbolic　execution　is　to　find　the　suitable　test　cases　from　all　possible　ones　(i.e.,　test　case　space).　It　is　different　from　the　way　of　classical　symbol　execution,　which　gets　test　cases　by　calculating　instead　of　searching.　QSE　utilizes　quantum　superposition　and　parallelism　to　store　the　test　case　space　with　only　a　few　qubits.　According　to　the　conditional　statements　in　the　debugged　program,　the　test　case　space　is　continuously　divided　into　subsets,　subsubsets　and　so　on.　Elements　in　the　same　subset　are　suitable　test　cases　that　can　test　the　corresponding　branch　in　the　code　to　be　tested.　QSE　not　only　provides　a　possible　way　to　debug　quantum　programs,　but　also　avoids　the　difficult　problem　of　solving　constraints　in　classical　symbolic　execution.　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC,　part　of　Springer　Nature.