This paper deals with wear characteristics of ion-nitrided metal theoretically and experimentally in order to analysis of wear phenomena. Wear tests show that compound layer of ion-nitrided metal reduces wear rate when the applied wear load is mall. However, as th load becomes large, the existence of compound layer tends to increase wear rate. The residual stress at the surface of ion-nitrided metal is measured, and the internal stress distribution is calculated when the normal and tangential forces are applied to the surface of metal. Compressive residual stress is largeest at the compound layer, and decreases as the depth from the surface increases. Calculation shows that the maximum stress exists at a certain depth from the surface when normal and tangential force are applied, and that the larger the wear load is the deeper the location of maximum stress becomes. In the analysis, it is found that under small applied wear load the critical depth, where voids and cracks may be created and propagated, is located at the compound layer, as the adhesive wear, where hardness is an important factor, is created the existence of compound layer reduces the amount of wear. When the load becomes large the critical depth is located below the compound layer, and delamination, which may be explained by surface deformation, crack nucleation and propagation, is created, and the existence of compound layer increases wear rate.