[Objective] The effects of natural rainfall on soil erosion characteristics of sloping lateritic soil was analyzed in order to provide a theoretical basis for the comprehensive management of soil and water conservation in a lateritic soil area.[Methods] Based on in-situ observations from runoff plots, runoff amounts and sediment yields under erosive rainfall events from May to October 2020 for sloping farmland (cropped to sugarcane), abandoned land, and bare land in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were analyzed, and combined with rainfall characteristics to determine the effects of rainfall characteristics and distribution on soil erosion characteristics of sloping soil.[Results] ① During the observation period, runoff amounts and sediment yields under different treatments followed the order of bare land>sugarcane land>abandoned land. Runoff amounts and sediment yields under all treatments were concentrated in August. Monthly differences for runoff amounts and sediment yields in abandoned land were relatively small. ② Runoff amounts and sediment yields were significantly related to rainfall amounts for all treatments. Only rainfall duration had significant positive correlations to runoff amounts for sugarcane land and abandoned land. Moderate rain and heavy rain accounted for 70.9% of the total erosive rainfall amounts. For the sugarcane land, bare land, and abandoned land treatments, the main sources of runoff were moderate rain and heavy rain, which accounted for 68.2%, 78.6%, and 67.8%, respectively, of the total runoff. Erosion was mainly caused by heavy rain, accounting for 63.8%~83.4% of the total amount of erosion.[Conclusion] For a lateritic red soil slope in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, sugarcane land and abandoned land effectively reduced runoff and sediment yield on the slope more than bare land, and the reduction effect was more significant for abandoned land. Rainfall amount was the most important rainfall characteristic affecting runoff and sediment yields. Moderate rain and heavy rain were the mainly sources of runoff sediment yields. The distribution characteristics of runoff and erosion on slopes were influenced by rainfall distribution and rainfall frequency.