The utility model discloses a pruning shear, relating to a shear knife for pruning branches and belonging to the field of shear tools. The pruning shear comprises an anvil knife and a shear knife. The shear knife comprises a shear handle and a shear knife head, wherein the shear handle and the hear knife head can be pivotally connected opposite to each other through a first pivot; the anvil knife and the shear knife head can be pivotally connected opposite to each other through a second pivot; a first gear part is formed at one end, which is close to the first pivot, of the shear handle; a second gear part close to the second pivot is formed on the anvil knife; and the first gear part is mutually meshed with the second gear part. The force applied to the shear handle is gradually increased through the first pivot and the second pivot, and thus a greater shear force is provided for the shear knife head and thick branches are sheared off by using smaller force.