Based　on　precipitation　observations　from　rain　gauges　in　the　Taihu　Lake　Basin　in　Jiangsu　Province　from　1979　to　2019,　the　ability　of　MSWEP　(multi-source　weighted　ensemble　precipitation)　to　characterize　daily　and　extreme　precipitation　with　different　durations　was　comprehensively　analyzed.　Results　show　that,　in　general,　MSWEP　can　well　reflect　daily　precipitations　in　the　study　area;　however,　its　accuracy　is　relatively　poor　in　the　Huxi　and　Taihu　Lake　sub-areas,　where　hilly　area　is　concentrated　and　water　body　is　dominated,　respectively,　and　it　is　difficult　for　MSWEP　to　capture　rainstorm　events　on　daily　scale.　MSWEP　can　roughly　reflect　the　spatial　structure　of　extreme　precipitation　with　different　durations　in　the　study　area,　but　there　are　some　differences　between　MSWEP　and　gauge　observations　in　details.　With　the　increase　of　duration,　the　fitting　accuracy　of　MSWEP　extreme　precipitation　is　improved,　and　MSWEP　has　a　strong　ability　in　characterizing　extreme　precipitation　with　a　duration　of　15　d　or　even　longer.　There　is　a　significant　linear　negative　correlation　between　the　errors　of　MSWEP　daily　precipitation　and　extreme　precipitation　and　precipitation　intensity,　and　there　are　obvious　phenomena　of　＂lowvalue　overestimation　and　high-value　underestimation＂.　Moreover,　the　accuracy　of　MSWEP　is　remarkably　correlated　with　spatial　scale.　On　the　mean　areal　scale　of　the　study　area,　the　ability　of　MSWEP　in　characterizing　daily　precipitation　and　extreme　precipitation　is　higher　than　that　on　the　grid　scale　because　of　the　spatial　homogenization　effect　and　the　elimination　of　spatial　scale　mismatching.　©　2023,　Editorial　Board　of　Water　Resources　Protection.　All　rights　reserved.