The effects of biochar (BC) application with varied rates on soil profile nutrient characteristics were not clear. In this study, we conducted a pot experiment to investigate the effects of BC added at 0.5 wt% and 1.5 wt% on soil profile nutrient characteristics, wheat yield and nitrogen (N) utilization efficiency (NUE) under conventional N input rate (200 kg/hm2). The results showed that the 0~40 cm soil organic carbon (SOC) contents increased after BC application and was positively correlated with BC application rate. Of which, the SOC contents of 0~10 cm and 20~30 cm soil layers under BC-amended treatment were with significant increases of 21.1~44.2% and 12.6~18.4%, respectively. Compared with N fertilizer alone treatment, BC-amended treatments increased ammonium N (3.7~49.0%), nitrate N (20.1~23.7%), total N (3.4~16.7%), and available potassium (K) (3.6~14.8%) contents of the 0~10 cm soil. In addition, the available K contents of the 30~40 cm soil were significantly increased with BC application by 10.2~19.7%. Generally, the increases of each nutrient content were higher under 1.5 wt% BC amending treatment, except for ammonium N. However, BC addition reduced the ammonium N of 30~40 cm soil and available K of 20~30 cm soil by 27.4~32.8% and 10.8~12.6%, respectively, and the effects were more significant at lower BC added (0.5wi%) treatment. BC had no significant effect on either wheat NUE or production, but performed a reduction potential (risk) on wheat production. In conclusion, responses of the soil nutrients to BC addition significantly varied with its application rates and soil profile depth.