A method for reading beads comprising the steps of: introducing into a flow path functional beads having a coating layer on the surface thereof and having nanoparticles present in the coating layer; enabling the functional beads to emit light specific to the nanoparticles by applying a voltage to the functional beads in the flow path; and identifying the functional beads based on the emission. A bead-reading apparatus employing the method is also disclosed. Since conventional fluorescent beads are excited with a laser for reading fluorescence, light leakage occurs, so that the influence of noise cannot be ignored. The invention eliminates this drawback.