As an important part of atmospheric particulate matter, nanoparticles have a significant impact on human health, atmospheric environment, as well as climate. The physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles, especially the chemical compositions, play an important role in these effects. This review surveys the various analytical techniques at home and abroad used to measure airborne nanoparticles. For each technique, its operation principle and typical instrument configuration are summarized, and representative examples reported in previous work are also introduced to illustrate its advantages and disadvantages. In addition, the future directions of instrumental development and application are outlined and discussed.