Atmospheric　intermediate　volatile　organic　compounds　(IVOCs)　are　important　precursors　of　secondary　organic　aerosols　(SOAs),　and　in-depth　research　on　them　is　crucial　for　atmospheric　pollution　control.　This　review　systematically　synthesizes　global　advancements　in　understanding　IVOC　sources,　emissions　characterization,　compositional　characteristics,　ambient　concentrations,　SOA　contributions,　and　health　risk　assessments.　IVOCs　include　long-chain　alkanes　(C-12　similar　to　C-22),　sesquiterpenes,　polycyclic　aromatic　hydrocarbons,　monocyclic　aromatic　hydrocarbons,　phenolic　compounds,　ketones,　esters,　organic　acids,　and　heterocyclic　compounds,　which　originate　from　primary　emissions　and　secondary　formation.　Primary　emissions　include　direct　emissions　from　anthropogenic　and　biogenic　sources,　while　secondary　formation　mainly　results　from　radical　reactions　or　particulate　surface　reactions.　Recently,　the　total　IVOC　emissions　have　decreased　in　some　countries,　while　emissions　from　certain　sources,　such　as　volatile　chemical　products,　have　increased.　Ambient　IVOC　concentrations　are　generally　higher　in　urban　rather　than　in　rural　areas,　higher　indoors　than　outdoors,　and　on　land　rather　than　over　oceans.　IVOCs　primarily　generate　SOAs　via　oxidation　reactions　with　hydroxyl　radicals,　nitrate　radicals,　the　ozone,　and　chlorine　atoms,　which　contribute　more　to　SOAs　than　traditional　VOCs,　with　higher　SOA　yields.　SOA　tracers　for　IVOC　species　like　naphthalene　and　beta-caryophyllene　have　been　identified.　Integrating　IVOC　emissions　into　regional　air　quality　models　could　significantly　improve　SOA　simulation　accuracy.　The　carcinogenic　risk　posed　by　naphthalene　should　be　prioritized,　while　benzo[a]pyrene　requires　a　combined　risk　assessment　and　hierarchical　management.　Future　research　should　focus　on　developing　high-resolution　online　detection　technologies　for　IVOCs,　clarifying　the　multiphase　reaction　mechanisms　involved　and　SOA　tracers,　and　conducting　comprehensive　human　health　risk　assessments.