The invention discloses an activated coke supported nano-gold catalyst as well as a preparation method and application thereof. The catalyst takes activated coke as a carrier, and the surface of the carrier is loaded with gold nanoparticles. The preparation method of the catalyst comprises the following steps: mixing the activated coke with water, then mixing the obtained mixture with a chloroauric acid solution, and carrying out ultrasonic treatment to obtain mixed liquid of the activated coke and chloroauric acid; mixing the obtained mixed liquid with an ascorbic acid solution for carrying out a reduction reaction to obtain the activated coke supported nano-gold catalyst. The activated coke supported nano-gold catalyst provided by the invention has the advantages of being good in dispersity, high in load rate, good in adsorption performance and catalytic performance, and the like; the preparation method of the catalyst has the advantages of simple preparation process, simpleness andconvenience in operation, high production efficiency, short production cycle, low cost, high product yield rate, and the like; an activating agent and a protective agent are not added into the catalyst, and the catalyst can be prepared on a large scale under the room temperature condition, and is beneficial to industrial utilization. The catalyst provided by the invention can rapidly and thoroughly realize catalytic reduction of nitroaromatic compounds, thus having good use value and application prospect.