A method of direct injection and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS / MS) was developed for simultaneous determination of 5 aniline compounds including aniline, 3-nitroaniline, 4-nitroaniline, 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline and hexanitrodiphenylamine in drinking water and source water. The samples were filtered using a 0. 22-μm polyethersulfone membrane prior to HPLC analysis. Five target compounds were chromatographically separated on an HSS T3 column with gradient elution. Chromatographic data were acquired by tandem mass spectrometric detection in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, and thus favorable resolutions of all target compounds were achieved within 4 min. Under the optimal analytical conditions, the peak area of each analyte and its concentration had a good correlation within the linear range (R≥0. 995). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method were 0. 773-1. 88 μg / L (S / N=3) and 2. 58-6. 27 μg / L (S / N=10), respectively. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations ( RSDs) of the mix standard solution were 0. 8% -1. 9% and 3. 3% -4. 9% , respectively. The spiked recoveries of the analytes were 84. 1% -105% and the RSDs of the spiked samples were 1. 0% -3. 1% . This proposed method was applied in the analysis of 35 samples from drinking water, source water and surface water, which indicated that the novel LC-MS / MS method could detect 5 aniline compounds in water without any complicated sample pretreatment in an accurate, sensitive and rapid way, and it also could provide technique support for evaluation of the contamination caused by aniline compounds.