[Objective] The effects of thinning on the water holding features of forests understory litter were studied to provide theoretical basis for local regional forest tending.[Methods] The experimental had thinning treatments of heavy thinning(thinning 35%), medium thinning(thinning 25%), light thinning(thinning 15%) and the control(no thinning) in Quercus wutaishanica forest of Huanglong Mountain in Loess Plateau. Typical sampling method, drying method and soaking method were used to measure water holding traits.[Results] Total litter volumes ranked as:CK(23.500±0.780) > light thinning(22.950±1.012) > medium thinning(22.708±0.365) > heavy thinning(20.725±1.041). Only the difference between CK and heavy thinning was significant; The total water holding capacities ranked as:light thinning(9.37) > CK(8.29) > medium thinning(7.61) > heavy thinning(6.39); the total effective retain capacity of light thinning is maximum. The litter water holding capacity presented a significant logarithmic function with soaking time as independent variable and the R² was above 0.93. Meanwhile, water absorption rate had a significant power function with soaking time, their R² was above 0.99.[Conclusion] Water holding capacity of light thinning performed the best. This is theoretically important for regional forest tending.