To reveal growth properties of Chlorella sorokiniana UTEX 1230, four monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose and xylose) were individually supplemented into medium as carbon sources for the cultivation of C. sorokiniana UTEX 1230. Supplementation with glucose increased OD750, biomass and lipid yield but decreased protein abundance per unit dry weight of biomass under all concentrations examined, the maximum OD750, biomass and lipid yield increased 2.04, 6.78 and 12.43 times, respectively, compared with autotrophic controls. A low concentration of glucose (<4 g/L) simultaneously promoted the biosynthesis of chlorophylls and protein abundance per unit culture volume, but decreased the lipid content per unit dry weight of biomass and all supplemented glucose can be exhausted within 7 days. Higher glucose concentrations (≥4 g/L) decreased the biosynthesis of chlorophylls and protein abundance per unit culture volume, but increased the lipid content per unit dry weight of biomass. In glucose supplemented scenario, C. sorokiniana UTEX 1230 growth was light-independent. Supplementation with fructose promoted C. sorokiniana UTEX 1230 growth to a much lesser extent compared with glucose, whereas supplementation with galactose had no effect and supplementation with xylose even inhibited growth. Our findings represent basic experimental data on the effect of monosaccharides and can serve as the basis for a robust cultivation system to increase biomass and lipid yield.