Natural and human factors have led to the global precipitation pattern changes, which will influence the soil nitrogen cycle processes, and the production and biodiversity of the terrestrial ecosystems. However, the impact of different types of precipitation on soil nitrogen cycle is still insufficiently understood. Therefore, we briefly introduce the global and China precipitation changes, as well as six research methods of soil nitrogen cycle under the change of precipitation pattern (long-term precipitation observation, field precipitation control experiment, natural precipitation gradient, indoor cultivation, model and remote sensing). Furthermore, we summarize the effects of three types of precipitation change (precipitation variation, drought and drying-rewetting event) and the interaction effects between precipitation and other climatic factors, including temperature and nitrogen deposition, on the soil nitrogen cycle, respectively. Finally, we analyze the problems in this field and provide recommendations for what the research directions are in the future. This review will improve assess and predict the response of terrestrial ecosystem functions to the potential precipitation change.