As one of the largest developing countries in the world, China is facing an increasingly severe pollution problem with PAEs (phthalates). PAEs, as plasticizers, are widely used in industries, food industry, and pharmaceutical industry. Due to their large usage and lack of standardized treatment, they have accumulated in the environment over the long term, showing significant toxicity. To explore the occurrence characteristics of PAEs in typical Chinese lakes and the effects of human activities, this study systematically analyzed the multi-media occurrence, spatial distribution, ecological risks, and potential sources of PAEs in the water bodies and sediments of 30 typical lakes in China. The results indicate that the concentration range of PAEs in the aqueous and sediment phases is 0.01~27.60 μg/L and 28.8~74935 ng/g, respectively, with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) being the main PAEs in both phases; the spatial distribution of the lake areas shows significant differences, with the most severe pollution occurring in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Among them, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) are the main components of PAEs in lake water and sediments, with the highest contribution rates. The spatial distribution of the lake areas shows significant differences, with the lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River being the most severely polluted. Based on the ecological risk assessment using risk quotients (RQ), it was found that about 30% of the lakes pose a high risk to crustaceans, with DEHP and DBP being the main PAEs components posing high risks. Further principal component analysis and multiple linear regression showed that industrial wastewater discharge and agricultural production activities are the main sources of PAEs pollution, especially with a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) between the use of agricultural films, pesticide usage, and the concentrations of DEHP and DBP. The study results indicate that PAEs have significant multi-media distribution characteristics in the lake water-sediment system and are profoundly influenced by human activities. Therefore, it is recommended to strengthen the management of PAEs additives in agricultural production and improve the removal efficiency of PAEs in industrial wastewater treatment processes to reduce the pollution load of lake water bodies. This study reveals the environmental behavior, risk characteristics, and anthropogenic driving mechanisms of PAEs in typical Chinese lakes, providing a scientific basis for the formulation of water ecological and environmental protection strategies.