Surface hydrophobicity is the hotspot of scientific research in recent years. In daily life, spherical water droplets can be observed on the surface of the lotus leaf, they can roll on the lotus leaf and take away dust as well. It was found that the surface of lotus leaf exhibited excellent hydrophobicity and self-cleaning characteristics, mainly due to its surface microscopic rough structure and low surface energy substances. Causes of the hydrophobicity on lotus leaf were summarized, and it was pointed out that there were a number of micrometer mastoids on lotus leaf under some nanoscale structures. This nanostructure was the root cause of su-per-hydrophobicity. The important theories of hydrophobic surface were concluded. The Young equation associated tension with contact angle of droplets on flat and smooth surface. Wenzel model introduced roughness factor based on the Young equation. The droplets in the Wenzel model formed a non-compound wetting state in which the droplets were in complete contact with solid surface. The Cassie equation was an extension of the Wenzel model, contact between the droplets and solid surface was complex type which was mixed with a certain amount of air. On this basis, the preparation methods of surface hydrophobicity in recent years were reviewed, including chemical method, special processing method and micro-cutting method. Finally, existing problems in hydrophobic surfaces were expected.