The main physiopathological mechanisms of malnutrition are disorder of digestion and absorption and stress-induced hypercatabolic state. Nutritional therapy is one of the essential treatments for critically ill patients. Enteral nutrition EN is the preferred route of nutritional support therapy. Proper EN significantly reduces infectious complications and better controls the blood glucose results in decreased organ failure and surgical intervention rate. EN may improve outcomes in these patients. Nasogastric tube as a simple bedside technique with low medical cost non-invasive simple and economical is the preferred way for short-term <4 weeks enteral nutrition. However improper use of nasogastric tubes can also lead to complications such as nasopharyngeal irritation ulcers bleeding catheter prolapse or blockage reflux and aspiration pneumonia. This article interpret the guideline on route of nutrition for Chinese adult patients covering the indications for nasogastric tube the use of prokinetic drugs the selection of nasogastric tube bore and the positioning of nasogastric tube are explained so as to provide the latest evidence-based medical evidence for the selection and rational application of nasogastric tube.