In this paper,the basic feature of the theory of "figure-ground relation" is sought through preliminary introduction of the theory and contrastive analysis on spaces of traditional cities and current cities.At the same time,the authors point out the reality of misapprehension and misapplication of "figure-ground relation" to the theory and practice of current urban design.In conclusion,the adaptability of the theory of "figure-ground relation" to current urban design is preliminarily discussed by combining the basic feature of the theory with concrete cases.