Benefit　from　the　efficient　energy　transfer,　aggregation-induced　emission　(AIE)　and　host-guest　recognition　as　strategies　of　signal　amplification　and　specific　binding　have　been　applied　to　establish　the　sensing　system;　however,　the　application　of　these　two　attractive　strategies　in　one　system　is　rare.　Herein,　we　propose　a　“turn-on”　to　“turn-off”　fluorescent　strategy　for　sensitive　detection　of　β-galactosidase　(β-Gal)　based　on　the　application　of　AIE　and　host-guest　recognition.　In　this　work,　a　novel　red-emitted　(635　nm)　copper　nanoclusters　(CuNCs)　protected　by　dithioerythritol　(DTE)　and　β-cyclodextrin　(β-CD)　has　been　found　to　possess　AIE　property　induced　by　aluminum　cations　to　achieve　the　“turn-on”　process,　and　the　coordinated　behavior　between　aluminum　cations　and　DTE/β-CD　CuNCs　is　also　discussed.　As　the　hydrolysis　product　of　β-Gal　and　4-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside,　p-nitrophenol　can　combine　with　β-CD　in　DTE/β-CD　CuNCs　by　the　host-guest　recognition　to　realize　the　efficient　photoelectron　transfer　to　“turn-off”　the　fluorescence.　This　strategy　performs　the　exciting　linear　range　of　0.0–50.0　U/L　and　detection　limit　of　0.56　U/L　(S/N　=　3)　for　sensitive　detection　of　β-Gal　and　further　applies　in　biologic　samples　successfully.　As　far　as　we　know,　this　is　the　first　work　to　combine　AIE　and　host-guest　recognition　in　one　system　to　construct　the　sensing　platform,　which　can　achieve　efficient　and　specific　energy　transfer　to　improve　the　sensitivity　of　the　system.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.