Abstract: In this paper, the author investigated the running in and friction properties of three ceramic materials in distilled water (including alumina, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide). The experimental results indicate that before running in, the start up and steady state friction factors of silicon nitride are the highest, that of silicon carbide are the lowest among the three ceramic materials. After running in, the steady state friction factor of alumina is the highest, that of silicon carbide is still the lowest among the three ceramic materials. When the surfaces of alumina, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide were polished to be ultra smooth (the surface roughness is a few nanometers), the friction property of silicon carbide in water is the best and that of alumina is the worst. From the tribological point of view, it is likely that silicon nitride silicon nitride and silicon carbide silicon carbide combinations are promising combinations for the total joint replacements.