Land use type is an important factor affecting soil acidification. Study on the acidification characteristics and differences of lateritic red soil under different land use types is the premise of mitigating and controlling soil acidification in lateritic red soil region. In this study, four land use types (vegetable lands, orchards, paddy fields, woodlands) of lateritic red soil were selected, soil physical and chemical properties were measured at different depths (surface: 0-20 cm; subsurface: 20-40 cm), and then the acidification characteristics and causes of lateritic red soil under different land use types were analyzed with the combination of field investigation. The results show that pH of orchards is significantly lower than that of woodlands in the surface layer, and significantly lower than that of paddy fields and woodlands in the subsurface layer. Exchangeable Al³⁺ content is significantly higher in vegetable lands and orchards than those of paddy fields and woodlands. In surface layer, base saturation (BS) and CEC of orchards are significantly lower than those of woodlands. In subsurface layer, BS of paddy fields is significantly higher than that of vegetable lands (P<0.05). Compared with paddy fields and woodlands, vegetable lands and orchards have more serious acidification and worse acid buffering capacity. Differences in fertilization, multiple cropping index and tillage methods may be responsible for soil acidification under different land uses.