The objective of this study was to explore the effects of nitrogen application on spring maize nitrogen uptake and soil biological and chemical properties under drought stresses at seedling stage in Northeast China. The results might provide a basis for regional maize nutrient management and adversity regulation. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted with two factors of water and nitrogen. The soil water level included 30%, 50% and 70% of field capacity (W0, W1 and W2), respectively, and nitrogen application included 0 and 0.24 g/kg soil (N0 and N1), respectively. The shoot dry matter and nitrogen uptake of maize at the seedling stage, soil chemical properties, microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen (MBC, MBN) and soil enzymes activities in the rhizosphere and bulk soil were measured in different water and nitrogen conditions. The results showed that drought stresses significantly reduced maize shoot dry matter and nitrogen uptake at seedling stage, and W0 condition decreased the most (51.1%, 43.8% respectively). Nitrogen application promoted plant growth under different water conditions and had significant interaction with water. The increase in shoot dry matter and nitrogen uptake was the highest (53.7%, 83.2% respectively) under W2 condition. Drought stresses increased water use efficiency (WUE), but decreased nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Nitrogen application significantly increased WUE under W2 condition, but had no significant effect under drought conditions. The effects of water, nitrogen and their interaction on soil properties were complex. In general, drought stresses at seedling stage temporarily increased the pH value in rhizosphere and bulk soil, and significantly increased the contents of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen (NH₄⁺ and NO₃^-) in[PJ] rhizosphere soil. The responses of MBC and MBN to drought stresses were opposite between rhizosphere and bulk soil. Rhizosphere soil increased with the increase of drought degree, while bulk soil decreased. In terms of soil enzyme activity, drought stresses significantly affected nitrate reductase (NR) and nitrite reductase (NiR) activities in rhizosphere soil. Nitrogen application increased the pH, NH₄⁺ and NO₃^- contents in rhizosphere and bulk soils under all water conditions, and the increase rate of rhizosphere soil was higher than that of bulk soil. Nitrogen application significantly increased MBC, MBN, urease (UR) and NR activities in rhizosphere and bulk soil under various water conditions, but significantly reduced NiR activity in rhizosphere and bulk soils. The interaction of water and nitrogen significantly affected NiR activity in rhizosphere soil, UR, NR and FDA activities in bulk soil. There was a significant correlation between the biological and chemical properties in rhizosphere and bulk soil, and the indexes of rhizosphere soil except NiR activity were positively correlated with plant nitrogen uptake and NUE. Drought at seedling stage significantly inhibited maize plant growth and nitrogen uptake, and significantly affected soil biological and chemical properties. The effects of nitrogen application on plant and soil properties were different under different water conditions, and there was a significant correlation between plant performance and soil biological and chemical properties.