Nitrous oxide(N_2O)emission plays an important role in global climate change and nitrogen cycle. Soil is the main source of N_2O emission and also acts as N_2O negative emission, namely N_2O absorption and consumption. This paper reviewed soil N_2O consumption, and analyzed the physical, chemical and biological pathways of N_2O consumption. The biological pathway of N_2O consumption was proposed as the dominant path. The microbial mechanisms of the nitrification and denitrification processes and the environmental factors influencing the activity of microorganisms in these processed, such as the ratio of soil oxygen to water, C/N, pH, etc, were emphatically discussed. Due to complicated biological communities generating and consuming N_2O, research directions and methods of N_2O uptake and consumption are also suggested.