The combustion synthesis of titanium carbonitride ceramics with excellent hardness and chemical stability to oxidation at high temperatures was investigated. The compacted reactants remained at a relatively high temperature for the greater length of time after the passage of combustion front transversing the compact. After-burn time of about 20 to 100 seconds was detected for producing titanium nitride and titanium carbonitride ceramics. After-burn time increased with the increasing ratio of carbon to titanium in the reactants, reached the maximum value at its ratio of 0.7, and thereafter decreased with the further increasing ratio of carbon to titanium. The combustion temperatures as well as the velocity of combustion waves increased with the increasing ratio of carbon to titanium in the reactants. The velocity of combustion waves reached the constant value of 0.4 cm/sec at higher ratio of carbon to titanium than 0.70 in the reactants. The microstructure of combustion-synthesized titanium carbide using the carbon black as carbon source showed the existence of titanium melting during the combustion reaction and the capillary spreading of melted titanium between the interstices of solid carbon. The surface of combustion-synthesized titanium carbonitride revealed that the carbon black was active for producing the carbonitride ceramics and the decreasing ratio of carbon to titanium in the reactants enhanced the melting of the titanium during the reaction.