This work analyzed the distribution characteristics and sources of both gaseous and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH_s) in urban atmosphere of Zhengzhou City in 2012. The results showed that the total mass concentration of PAH_s in atmosphere， including gaseous and particulate， was between 40.00 to 194.61 ng/m³， and that mass concentration of gaseous PAHs was higher than that of the particulate forms. PAH_s containing less than four aromatic rings mainly existed in gaseous forms. In spring and summer， a relatively high proportion of PAH_s were molecules having masses below 178， while in winter， this was the case with PAH_s having molecular masses above 252. Mass concentration of PAH_s decreased with the following functional areas: industrial area， traffic compact area， and living area. The major sources of gaseous and particulate PAH_s in atmosphere were possibly from the burning of coal and liquid fuel (gasoline and diesel oil).