Objective To describe the characteristics of patients with suicidal tendency in general hospitals， and to analyze the risk factors of suicidal behaviors in these patients. Methods A total of 680 cases with suicidal tendency were collected from inpatients in NanfangHopsital Affiliated to Southern Medical University from October 2012 to October 2017. According to the occurrence of suicidal behavior， the sample was divided into suicidal tendency group （without suicidal behavior， n=527） and suicidal behavior group （with suicidal behavior， n=153）. Data were collected on their gender， age， marital status， household registration， admission department， suicide inducement， suicide pattern， mental illness， physical illness and significant mental symptoms. Univariate analysis was used to compare the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the two groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to explore the risk factors of suicide behavior. Results The samples in suicidal tendencygroup were mainly female （351，66.6%）， married （458，77.4%）， psychiatric inpatients （392，74.4%）， and suffering from depression （349，66.2%）. In the suicide behavior group， there was a significant difference in suicide pattern between men and women （χ2 =12.489，P=0.014）. Men were more than women choosing the way of jumping off the building. On the other hand， women were more among those using drugs and wrist-cutting. Logistic regression analysis showed that intensive care unit （ICU） inpatient （OR=7.844， 95%CI：2.240-27.475， P=0.001）， frustration in marriage （OR=3.646， 95%CI：1.217-10.917， P=0.021）， tumor （OR=4.620， 95%CI：1.552-13.755， P=0.006）， bipolar disorder （OR=3.734， 95%CI：1.157-12.052， P=0.028） were risk factors of suicide. Conclusions Among the patients with suicidal tendency， ICU inpatient， bipolar disorder， tumor， marriage and love setback are the risk factors of suicidal behavior. Men and women tend to choose different suicide pattern. It requires more attention in clinical practice， and targeted preventive measures.