In order to investigate the function of cold inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP) of large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea in cold acclimatization, CIRP gene was cloned and the expression changes were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The full-length of cDNA sequence of CIRP is 1211 bp, encodes 182 amino acid residues and the protein molecular weight is 19 ku. Amino acid sequence alignment showed that CIRP was conserved in teleost, especially the RNA recognition motif (RRM) at N-terminal was highly conserved. The phylogenetic tree analysis showed that CIRP of L. crocea had the highest identity to sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria (81.5%), CIRP of L. crocea and other teleost formed a clade. During chronic cold stress (water temperature slowly decreased from 12℃ to 6℃), the CIRP expression of skin and muscle significantly increased with the temperature decreasing, in which the expression levels at 6℃ rose 11.56 and 9.03 times compared to 12℃. In gill, brain and heart, the expression of CIRP increased at first and then decreased, and the maximum appeared at 8℃ which were 5.07, 7.69 and 2.83 times compared to 12℃. The expression level significantly decreased with the temperature increasing in intestine, kidney, liver and spleen, and the decreasing amplitude at 6℃ were 80.0%, 65.6%, 91.2% and 55.6% compared to 12℃ respectively. During acute cold stress (from 12℃ to 8℃ immediately and maintained for 4 h), the expression levels of CIRP in gill, skin, brain, liver and heart increased first and then decreased, reflected the stress and adaptation process of L. crocea to cold. Compared to 12℃, the CIRP expression in muscle and intestine were always at a lower level during acute cold stress. The difference of tissue expression of CIRP between chronic and acute cold stresses suggested that there were multiple regulation mechanisms replying to cold stress in L. crocea. The present study indicated CIRP was involved in L. crocea responding to cold stress, and the results could provide fundamental data for further research on the mechanism of response to low temperature in L. crocea.