CrN powder consisting of granular particles of similar to 3 mu m has been prepared by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis under a nitrogen pressure of 12 MPa using Cr metal. Dense pure CrN ceramics and CrN/ZrO2(2Y) composites in the CrN-rich region have been fabricated by hot isostatic pressing for 2 h at 1300 degrees C and 196 MPa. The former ceramics have a fracture toughness (K-IC) of 3.3 MPa.m(1/2) and a bending strength (sigma(b)) of 400 MPa. In the latter materials almost all of the ZrO2(2Y) grains (0.36-0.41 mu m) are located in the grain boundaries of CrN (similar to 4.6 mu m). The values of K-IC (6.1 MPa m(1/2)) and sigma(b) (1070 MPa) are obtained in the composites containing 50 vol% ZrO2(2Y).