As　a　sort　of　fluorescent　carbon　nanomaterial　with　a　particle　size　of　less　than　10　nm,　carbon　dots　(CDs)　have　their　own　merits　of　good　dispersibility　in　water,　stable　optical　properties,　strong　chemical　inertness,　stable　optical　properties,　and　good　biosecurity.　These　excellent　peculiarities　facilitated　them　like　sensing,　imaging,　medicine,　catalysis,　and　optoelectronics,　making　them　a　new　star　in　the　field　of　nanotechnology.　In　particular,　the　development　of　CDs　in　the　fields　of　chemical　probes,　imaging,　cancer　therapy,　antibacterial　and　drug　delivery　has　become　a　hot　topic　in　current　research.　Although　the　biomedical　applications　in　CDs　have　been　demonstrated　in　many　research　articles,　a　systematic　summary　of　their　role　in　biomedical　applications　is　scarce.　In　this　review,　we　introduced　the　basic　information　of　CDs　in　detail,　including　synthesis　approaches　of　CDs　as　well　as　their　favorable　properties　including　photoluminescence　and　low　cytotoxicity.　Subsequently,　the　application　of　CDs　in　the　field　of　biomedicine　was　emphasized.　Finally,　the　main　challenges　and　research　prospects　of　CDs　in　this　field　were　proposed,　which　might　provide　some　detailed　information　in　designing　new　CDs　in　this　promising　biomedical　field.