The shield method is extensively utilized in tunnel construction. Real-time acquisition of surrounding rock characteristics of shield tunnels plays an important role in ensuring construction safety, improving construction efficiency, and controlling construction costs. The main progress of real-time acquisition technologies for surrounding rock characteristics of shield tunnels was sorted out in terms of drilling technology, slag analysis, and geophysical exploration technology. The existing technologies were summarized, and the future development direction was discussed. Advanced drilling can accurately obtain surrounding rock information, but it is difficult to implement due to the limitations of shield equipment and construction conditions; the accuracy of obtaining real-time surrounding rock characteristics based on tunneling parameters and slag analysis needs to be verified; the geophysical exploration technology is easy to be interfered with in signal transmission, and it is difficult to interpret data. In addition, suitability of geophysical equipment suitability with shield equipment still needs to be improved. To realize the real-time acquisition of the surrounding rock characteristics of shield tunnels, it is necessary to optimize the advanced drilling equipment and layout. Multi-sensor data and machine learning technologies can be used to improve the accuracy of tunneling parameters and slag analysis. Meanwhile, it is necessary to improve the portability of the geophysical exploration equipment and its ability to interpret the data. In practical application, the above methods should be combined and selected according to the actual situation of the project.