Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Increasing evidence indicates that the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in the onset and progression of DKD. Numerous experimental studies have demonstrated that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can attenuate inflammatory responses by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby delaying the progression of DKD. This review summarizes the relationship between the NF-κB signaling pathway and DKD, and discusses the advances in research on how TCM interventions targeting the NF-κB signaling pathway can alleviate DKD. The aim is to provide new references for targeted therapy of DKD.