A TiCN coating was deposited on Cr12MoV cold worked die steel by cathodic arc ion plating (CAIP). The plane distributions of chemical elements and the line scans of chemical elements at the coating interface were analyzed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy). The interface bonding mechanism was discussed, and the interface bonding of the coating was characterized and analyzed with scratch tester. The results show that the TiCN coating is composed of TiN, TiC and C atom, of which the TiC and TiN increase the coating hardness, and the C atom improves the friction lubrication properties of the coating. The number of N atoms in the coating is higher than that of C atoms, and the mutual diffusions occur at the bonding interface between the coating and the substrate. The C atoms diffuse to the substrate more than other atoms of elements in the coating, so Si atoms in the substrate, and a metallurgical bonding is formed between the coating and the substrate, its bonding with strength of 79.6 N