Abstract: In response to the growing demand for water resources, next-generation seawater desalination technologies characterized by high efficiency, low carbon emissions, and sustainability have become a research hotspot with broad application prospects. By mimicking natural efficient mechanisms in biological systems, such as photothermal conversion, water transport and salt management, thermal management, and condensation collection, biomimetic seawater desalination technology offers a novel technical pathway to break through the limitations of traditional desalination methods. In this paper, the biological prototypes and engineering application cases of the four aforementioned natural mechanisms are systematically summarized, and a classification paradigm for biomimetic seawater desalination centered on functional mechanisms is constructed. Furthermore, through an in-depth analysis of the performance characteristics of five major categories of biomimetic materials including biomimetic aerogels, hydrogels, sponges/foams, membrane materials and functional fabrics, the technical advantages and existing problems of multi-mechanism collaborative design are elucidated, and the core role of the synergistic optimization of structure, function and mechanism in improving the overall desalination performance of the system is clarified. Finally, the major challenges faced by biomimetic seawater desalination technology and its future development directions are expounded. This study provides a systematic reference for the basic research in the field of biomimetic seawater desalination, and also offers technical support for the sustainable development and utilization of global freshwater resources.