From March to December 2005 NMHCs were measured in an urban site in Guangzhou. Air samples were collected with canister and analyzed for HMHCs by GC-MSD/FID after cryogenic pre-concentration. Mixing ratios of Alkanes accounted for over 43% in total NMHCs in each month while the shares of aromatic hydrocarbons were 19-28%. In average ethyne was the most abundant compound (5.46 ppbv), followed by propane (4.49 ppbv) and toluene (4.19 ppbv). Seasonal variations of most anthropogenic hydrocarbons revealed higher mixing ratios in autumn-winter than in spring-summer. Isoprene, on the contrary, exhibited the the highest levels in summer and the lowest in spring. Anthropogenic NMHCs typically showed a first peak around 8:00 local time in morning and 20:00 local time in the evening, while isoprene revealed a different bimodal diurnal pattern.