The invention relates to a method for measuring the friction force of a hydraulic drive type ship lift system, and belongs to the field of the monitoring of the waterway engineering. The method specifically comprises the following steps of: (1) mounting a sensor; (2) measuring and calculating a ship chamber upward buoyancy and a buoyancy process; (3) measuring and calculating a ship chamber downward buoyancy and the buoyancy process; (4) calculating the friction force of a ship chamber at the same elevation; (5) averaging the friction force acquired in the (4); (6) finally acquiring a relationship line between the friction force of the hydraulic drive type ship lift and the elevation position of the ship chamber. The method for measuring the friction force of the hydraulic drive type shiplift system has the following beneficial effects: the novel method capable of very simply measuring the friction force of the hydraulic ship lift system by using a buoyancy method is provided, simplein the principle, easy to implement, and accurate and reliable in data; less measuring components are used, and only the sensor needs to be arranged on one side of a drum; therefore, the friction force of the ship lift system in the full stroke can be acquired.