Abstract: In this study, the first large-scale survey on Chinese adult smokers was reported by using behavioral questionnaires. Meanwhile, the biomarkers of exposure were also investigated based on volunteers' urine analysis. A total of 435 adults, all between the ages of 18 and 65, were recruited. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using questionnaires covering demographic characteristics, smoking behaviors and number of cigarettes smoked per day. In addition, 24 h urine samples were collected. Base on tar yield marked on cigarette package, the subjects were categorized into high (9-11 mg/cig), medium (7-8 mg/cig), and low (1-6 mg/cig) tar groups, and a control group of nonsmoker. Biomarkers of nicotine, tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 1, 3-butadiene, acrylonitrile, acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and benzene in the urine samples were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. The results showed that: 1) Age, sex, education, occupation, income showed statistical significance among different tar-level cigarette smokers (P < 0.05). But no statistical significance in marriage status and body mass index were obtained (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in smoking behaviors among the different smoker groups (P > 0.05), although differences in the biomarkers from the groups were found (P < 0.05). 2) Machine-generated tar yield was not a main predictor affecting the smoking behaviors, and smokers of the low machine-generated tar group appeared to have a lower exposure to some hazardous compounds.