The　promising　potential　of　photodynamic　therapy　(PDT)　has　fueled　the　development　of　minimally　invasive　therapeutic　approaches　for　cancer　therapy.　However,　overcoming　limitations　in　PDT　efficacy　in　the　hypoxic　tumor　environment　and　light　penetration　depth　remains　a　challenge.　We　report　the　engineering　of　tungsten　carbide　nanoparticles　(W2C　NPs)　for　1,064　nm　laser-activated　dual-type　PDT　and　combined　theranostics.　The　synthesized　W2C　NPs　allow　the　robust　generation　of　dual-type　reactive　oxygen　species,　including　hydroxyl　radicals　(type　I)　and　singlet　oxygen　(type　II),　using　only　single　1,064　nm　laser　activation,　enabling　effective　PDT　even　in　the　hypoxic　tumor　environment.　The　W2C　NPs　also　possess　high　photothermal　performance　under　1,064　nm　laser　irradiation,　thus　enabling　synergistically　enhanced　cancer　therapeutic　efficacy　of　PDT　and　photothermal　therapy.　Additionally,　the　photoacoustic　and　X-ray　computed　tomography　bioimaging　properties　of　W2C　NPs　facilitate　the　integration　of　tumor　diagnosis　and　therapy.　The　developed　W2C　based　theranostic　nanoagents　increase　the　generation　of　reactive　oxygen　species　in　hypoxic　tumors,　improve　the　light　penetration　depth,　and　facilitate　combined　photothermal　therapy　and　photoacoustic/computed　tomography　dual-mode　bioimaging.　These　attributes　could　spur　the　exploration　of　transition　metal　carbides　for　advanced　biomedical　applications.　©　2018,　Tsinghua　University　Press　and　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.