Objective To investigate the airflow distribution mode in human upper respiratory tract model for understanding the characteristics of the airflow in human upper respiratory tract, and provide scientific basis for analyzing the diffusion, transition and deposition patterns of aerosol in human upper respiratory tract. Methods PIV（particle image velocimetry）technology was adopted to study flow fields of the real human upper respiratory tract model. The airflow state in oral cavity，pharynx and trachea was analyzed. Results The flow velocity was relatively high at the upper tongue coating and in the middle of the oral cavity; when the airflow reached the pharynx, the velocity was increased rapidly due to the reduction of sectional area; the maximum velocity (10.24 m/s) appeared in the glottis, and the velocity in the anterior wall was higher than that in the posterior wall of the trachea; as the airflow injected at the glottis, the velocity gradient was increased, and the vorticity was concentrated at the anterior and posterior wall of the glottis, resulting in a significantly higher vorticity value at anterior wall of the trachea than that at the posterior wall. Conclusions PIV technology is an effective way to investigate the airflow distribution mode in human upper respiratory tract, and it is of great importance for exploring the harm of toxic aerosol to human body and the therapeutic effect of inhalation drug aerosol, as well as for researching the pathogenesis of respiratory system.