Background and aims <p>Paddy nutrients play a significant role in maintaining ecological balance and ensuring food security. However, most current research on paddy nutrients focuses on nutrient transformation mechanisms or rice absorption mechanisms, with a lack of systematic analysis of the nutrient cycling process.</p> Methods <p>Therefore, this article first introduces the cycling process of key elements (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) in paddy soil.</p> Results <p>It was found that biochemical processes such as fixation, decomposition and mineralisation promote decomposition of organic matter and affect the efficiency of soil organic carbon accumulation. Mineralisation converts organic nitrogen to ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺), and nitrification further converts ammonium nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^–), which is easily absorbed and utilised by plants and microorganisms, whereas denitrification, leaching, and runoff are the important pathways of nitrogen loss. The processes of adsorption, precipitation and immobilisation reduce the bioavailability of phosphorus, while desorption, solubilisation and mineralisation promote the uptake of phosphorus by rice. Secondly, the nutrient absorption mechanism of rice was reviewed. Leaves assimilate carbon dioxide and produce organic matter through photosynthesis, while the xylem and phloem of stems jointly undertake nutrient transport, and the root system absorbs nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus through the symplastic and extracellular pathways. Finally, based on the above research progress, future development trends in this field are proposed. Specifically, these include the impact of key micronutrients on nutrient cycling, the development of high precision sensor technologies, and a focus on cross-scale nutrient cycling research.</p> Conclusion <p>This study can provide theoretical reference for further research on the efficient utilization of nutrients in paddy fields.</p>