Research on deep-water sediment waves was initiated in the 1950's. So far, significant progress has been achieved. It is been known that deep-water sediment waves are generated mainly by bottom currents or turbidity currents. Four main catalogues of deep-water sediment waves have been recognized according to their grain size of component sediments and formation processes: fine-grained bottom current sediment waves, coarse-grained bottom current sediment waves, finegrained turbidity current sediment waves, and coarse-grained turbidity current sediment waves. Models presented for the formation of deep-water sediment waves include lee-wave model, antidune model, internal wave model and mixed bedform and failure model. Newly-acquired high-resolution seismic data revealed that the sediment drift with high deposition rates on the slope offshore Dongsha Islands, northern South China Sea was actually composed of a series of sediment waves migrated upslope. This finding is of great significance not only to the reconstruction of paleoceanography, paleoenvironment, paleo-tectonics, and paleoclimate, but also to deep-water petroleum exploration in the South China Sea.