The specificity of the clinical characteristics and examination results of adult tracheobronchial foreign bodies may not be obvious, which may lead to delay in diagnosis, thereby reducing patients’ quality of life and even life-threatening. However, the current clinicians’ understanding of the disease is still insufficient. Based on the current status of relevant research at home and abroad, this article introduces the medical history collection, clinical features and examination methods (including chest X-ray, chest CT and bronchoscopy), and the treatment and precautions of adult tracheobronchial foreign bodies, and aims to deepen doctors’ understanding of the disease, so as to minimize missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis.