Physical activity participation on a regular basis has been shown the prevention and treatment of a variety of diseases. The Surgeon General Report (USDHHS, 1996) concluded that people of all ages, both male and female, could substantially improve their health and quality of life by participating in physical activity. Numerous studies have been conducted on adolescents’ participation in physical activities in North America. Little is known, however, about physical activity participation in China (Zhou, 1998). The purpose of this study was to examine the primary characteristics of physical activity participation among urban Chinese adolescents. Convenient samples were used and usable surveys were completed by 250 participants (127 girls and 123 boys) from a middle school in Guangzhou, China. The majority of the participants were ages 12-16 years. Completion of the survey was voluntary and the participants were informed that they were under no obligation to participate in the data collection. Each participant was asked to complete a modified self-report questionnaire, the Leisure Activities Blank (LAB), and recall his or her physical activity participation during the previous year. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results reveal that the physical activities that the urban Chinese adolescents participated in most were jogging (92.0 %), swimming (87.6%), badminton (79.6%), ping- pong (79.6%), and basketball (78.8%). Fewer respondents reported they participated in golf (9.6%), aerobics (10.0%), martial arts (15.2%), weightlifting (19.8%), and volleyball (22.0%). In addition, more boys than girls participated in ping-pong (boys 93.5% and girls 66.1%), soccer (boys 92.7% and girls 18.9%), weightlifting (boys 25.2% and girls 9.4%). Moreover, more girls than boys participated in badminton (girls 91.3% and boys 67.5%) and tennis (girls 40.9% and boys 34.1%). In general, the findings of this study suggest that there are differences in participating in physical activity between Chinese boys and girls. In addition, it is interesting to compare the participation in physical activity between Chinese and American adolescents. U.S. adolescents like playing football, baseball, golf, tennis, bowling, and basketball (Kelly, 1996). Moreover, more American than Chinese adolescents participate in aerobics and weightlifting.Keyword(s): physical activity