The invention discloses a standard colorimetric method for carbonyl compound content in industrial methanol, and belongs to the field of industrial methanol. The method comprises the following steps:preparing a series of standard solutions with different carbonyl compound contents, reacting the standard solutions with 2, 4dinitrophenylhydrazine and potassium hydroxide in sequence under certain conditions, and observing to find that the color is gradually changed from faint yellow to dark red brown along with the gradual increase of the carbonyl compound contents; preparing a standard colorimetric card according to the color of the standard solution, the volume part mass number of the carbonyl compound content, the methanol grade and other information; after the sample is completely reacted under the same condition, comparing the sample with a standard colorimetric card, finding out the closest color, and directly reading out information such as the content of the carbonyl compound andthe grade of a methanol sample. Quantitative calculation of the content of the carbonyl compound can be achieved. The determination method has the characteristics of intuition, rapidness, simplicity,convenience, low requirements on detection equipment, instruments, places and the like.