量子色动力学（英语：Quantum Chromodynamics，简称QCD）是一个描述夸克胶子之间强相互作用的标准动力学理论，它是粒子物理标准模型的一个基本组成部分。夸克是构成重子（质子、中子等）以及介子（π、K等）的基本单元，而胶子则传递夸克之间的相互作用，使它们相互结合，形成各种核子和介子，或者使它们相互分离，发生衰变等。多年来量子色动力学已经收集了庞大的实验证据。

量子色动力学是规范场论的一个成功运用，它所对应的规范群是非阿贝尔的群，群量子数被称为“颜色”或者“色荷”。每一种夸克有三种颜色，对应着群的基本表示。胶子是作用力的传播者，有八种，对应着群的伴随表示。这个理论的动力学完全由它的规范对称群决定。

In theoretical physics, quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is the theory of strong interactions, a fundamental force describing the interactions between quarks and gluons which make up hadrons such as the proton, neutron and pion. QCD is a type of quantum field theory called a non-abelian gauge theory with symmetry group SU(3). The QCD analog of electric charge is a property called color. Gluons are the force carrier of the theory, like photons are for the electromagnetic force in quantum electrodynamics. The theory is an important part of the Standard Model of particle physics. A large body of experimental evidence for QCD has been gathered over the years.