<p>The tribological behaviour of polymer materials is not an intrinsic material constant but a complex system response arising from coupled multi-scale physicochemical processes. This review synthesizes key insights into the underlying mechanisms, influencing factors, and performance tailoring strategies. Friction and wear are governed by the interplay of interfacial adhesion, ploughing deformation, viscoelastic energy dissipation, frictional heating, and friction‑induced phase transitions, with thermo‑mechano‑chemical coupling dictating the dominant wear mode. Intrinsic properties (glass transition temperature, crystallinity, crosslinking density, chain mobility) and surface characteristics (roughness, surface energy, wettability) establish a performance baseline, whereas environmental conditions (humidity, temperature, lubrication media) and time‑dependent evolution (running‑in, transfer film formation, steady‑state wear) can override this baseline. Among performance‑enhancing strategies, molecular design (e.g., bottlebrush architectures, dynamic covalent bonds) and stimuli‑responsive smart polymers (self‑healing, multi‑responsive) are emerging as powerful tools alongside traditional filler incorporation and surface engineering. Representative case studies on engineering thermoplastics, elastomers, ultra‑low‑friction polymers, and biomedical polymers link these strategies to application‑specific tribological performance. A critical synthesis of current challenges, including high material cost, insufficient extreme‑condition stability, processing bottlenecks, and incomplete understanding of multi‑field coupling, outlines future directions: intelligent and multifunctional systems, cross‑scale biomimetic design, data‑driven material discovery, sustainable development, and multidisciplinary integration. This review provides a conceptually focused, insight‑driven reference for designing high‑performance, long‑life polymer tribological materials.</p>