Using co-word analysis to construct concept space and realize semantic retrieval is one of the research hotspots in information organization and retrieval fields at present. The paper clarifies the definition and significance,application and constructing methods of concept space, also introduces the connotation, application premise, evolution process,steps and methods of co-word analysis technology. From many aspects the paper systematically generalizes the application situation on construction of concept space, ontology and semantics relationship digging, in order to provide basis for constructing visual retrieval system.