MXene nanosheets have been worthy contenders for various applications owing to their unique physicochemical properties but can be easily oxidized to lose their functional properties, especially in a water medium with unclear oxidation mechanism. Here, we investigate the effect of main free radicals in water on the oxidation of Ti 3 C 2 T x and screen out the corresponding effective scavengers. It is found that •OH is more detrimental to Ti 3 C 2 T x in water, and agents such as NaHCO 3 stabilizing Ti 3 C 2 T x by scavenging •OH have been proved to be effective at 50 °C and under visible light irradiation, extending the storage life of Ti 3 C 2 T x colloids up to 140 days at 5 °C. As a proof of concept, the NaHCO 3 -stablized Ti 3 C 2 T x is superior to the unprotected counterpart for supercapacitors and photocatalytic applications. It is expected that this study provides important insights into enhancing the oxidation resistance of Ti 3 C 2 T x in water and facilitates the application of Ti 3 C 2 T x -based materials under multiple environmental conditions.