The invention relates to a method for synthesizing 1-aminoanthraquinone. According to the method, the dosage of anthraquinone and nitric acid is adjusted in a mixed solvent in the presence of a catalyst, the depth of nitrification is controlled, anthraquinone is subjected to partial nitrification by using a mixed-acid nitrification method, so as to produce 1-nitroanthraquinone, and then, 1-aminoanthraquinone is synthesized through reduction reaction; the solvent used is one or more of dichloroethane, dimethyl formamide, xylene, chlorobenzene and toluene; mixed acid used means a mixture prepared from fuming nitric acid and fuming sulfuric acid; the catalyst used is para-toluenesulfonic acid and salt thereof; during the nitrification of the method, 1-nitroanthraquinone is mainly produced, and 1,8-dinitroanthraquinone, 1,5-dinitroanthraquinone, 1,7-dinitroanthraquinone, 1,6-dinitroanthraquinone and 2-nitroanthraquinone are not produced; the yield of the product, namely 1-aminoanthraquinone, is 95-99%, the purity is high (over 99%), refining is not required, the production cost is low, the operation is simple and convenient, and the industrial production is convenient to realize.