The invention discloses a vulnerable line recognition method for a power distribution network, and the method comprises the steps: calculating the active degree and improved betweenness of a line according to a system structure of the power distribution network; calculating the potential safety hazard vulnerability of the line according to the load impact and the condition of a fault line; calculating the weight coefficient of each index through an analytic hierarchy process, integrating all indexes and factors according to the weights, and obtaining the vulnerability index of the line of thepower distribution network. According to the scheme of the invention, the method gives full consideration to the structural characteristics and operation characteristics of the power distribution network. Compared with a conventional vulnerability evaluation index, the indexes can reflect the importance of the line in a system topological structure, and also can reflect the potential safety hazardvulnerability of the line under the load impact and fault line breakage. The vulnerable line in the power distribution network can be recognized more reasonably and effectively according to the calculated value of the integrated vulnerability index.