Since there is no unified and complete concept,basis and method for urbancharacter to date,it is difficult to define urban character,which influences notonly general urban planning and construction,but also rational urban development and layout.This paper makes mainly a preliminary approach to the concept,basis and method for urban character.The concept of urban character can be understood in both narrow sense andbroad sense.The urban character in a narrow sense reflects the main function ofthe most essential characteristics of a city.The urban character in a broad senseinvolves the main function and the developing tendency of a city.In general,urban character is the position,role and developing tendency of a city in politics,economy and culture of a country or a region.And there can be one and only onemain function (single or comprehensive) for a city,while there can be one ormore secondary functions.The basis and method for defining urban character are that we can studycomprehensively and decide the developing tendency of a city in a given period,based on national economic censtruction,general requirements of national eco-nomic plan,regional resources and conditions,principle of rational productivitydistribution,present urban development and economic geographical position,through qualitative analysis,quantitative analysis,regional comparison and co-mprehensive analysis,making a city to be developed and distributed rationallyand favoring to improve economic benefit,social benefit and environmentalbenefit.