Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the main metabolites of carbohydrate fermentation in the intestine. Although the protonated form of diffusion is an important pathway for the transport of SCFAs， the carrier-mediated mechanism is still the main pathway for the anionic form of SCFAs to enter colonic epithelial cells. SCFAs can play a variety of physiological functions through transport and absorption in the intestine. This article reviews the sources， detection methods， physiological functions， and molecular mechanisms of SCFAs in the intestinal transport in order to lay the foundation for the research of SCFAs in the field of food and nutrition.