4-coumaric acid: coenzyme A ligase (4CL) gene is one of the key genes involved in the regulation of lignin metabolism and the synthesis of flavonoid and other secondary metabolites in plant, while the synthesized and polymerized lignin is deposited in cell walls and leads to thickening of secondary walls in some parenchyma cells and formation of stone cells. To better understand the variety and quantity of 4CL genes in Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd., we used the amino acid and cDNA databases of Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd. genome to screen 4CL gene family, and analyzed their classification, evolutionary relationships, physical location, gene structure and conserved motif. Our results showed that 29 4CL genes were identified and preliminarily characterized, and these 4CL genes were distributed in all chromosomes except chromosomes 4, 8, 11, 12 and clustered on chromosomes 9 and 17 through gene location analysis. The relationship between 4CL gene structure and evolution was further determined by comparing gene structure and phylogenetic tree. These findings provide a basis for further analysis of 4CL gene function in Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.