Abstract: Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ translucent ceramics were prepared and sintered by dry pressing in air atmosphere with YOF:Eu³⁺ nano powder as raw material and BaF₂ as sintering aid. The effect of sintering aid BaF₂ addition amount (0-2.0wt%) on the microstructure and luminescence properties of the ceramics was investigated. The results show that the porosity of the prepared ceramics decreased first and then increased, and the transmittance increased first and then decreased with the increase of sintering aid BaF₂ addition amount. The porosity was the smallest and the transmittance was the highest when the mass fraction of sintering aid BaF₂ was 1.0%. With the increase of sintering aid BaF₂ addition amount, the peak position of Eu-O charge transfer state in excitation spectrum shifted from the wavelength of 252 nm to wavelength of 242 nm; the ratio of excitation peak intensities at wavelength of 414 nm and 397 nm in excitation spectrum increased first and then decreased, and reached the maximum value when the mass fraction of sintering aid BaF₂ was 1.0%; the luminescence intensity of ceramics decreased first and then increased, and was the smallest when the mass fraction of sintering aid BaF₂ was 1.0%.