The transverse mode of a radially polarized beam has a hollow ring distribution, with a special polarization form along the polarization direction. Specifically, the polarization is always along the radial direction and is axisymmetric with the optical axis. Radially polarized beams, with better focusing and particle manipulation than spatially uniform polarized beams, have shown high application value in industrial processing, space communication, and microscopy. This study briefly introduces the electric field characteristics of radially polarized beams, summarizes the research progress and principles of generation methods for radially polarized beams in the last decade, discusses the problems that need to be solved for the further development of radially polarized beams and proposes possible solutions to these problems. Finally, it suggests the future development trend of radially polarized beam-related research.