Abstract: Grain-size and geochemical analysis for six shallow cores collected at the southern Dingzi Bay are performed for a study on geochemical characteristics of REEs and provenance interpretation. The chondrite-normalized light rare earth elements (LREEs) of the shallow sediments, which show an obvious right-declined pattern and negative Eu anomaly, indicate a source of terrigenous origin. However, the UCC-normalized patterns, which have richer LREEs in shallow sediments comparing to those of the Yellow River, are probably related to the sediments of surrounding land of the study area rich in heavy metals. The results of discriminant functions and ratios of some relatively stable elements indicate that the shallow sediments in the study area are the products of joint effects of the adjacent river sediments and Yellow River sediments carried by Southern Shandong Peninsula Coastal Current.