A numerical prediction was performed to clarify the air motion in the cylinder of an axisymmet-ric four-stroke reciprocating engine at its intake and compression stage. A scheme of finite volume method is used for the calculation. Modified $k-{varepsilon}$ turbulence model is adopted and wall function is applied to the grids near the wall. The predicted mean velocity and rms velocity profiles showed a reasonable agreement with an available experimental data at its intake and compression stage. The predicted in-cylinder flow fields show that a strong turbulent twin vortex structure is pro-duced during induction but it commences to decay rapidly around inlet valve closure. The mean velocity continues to fall to a low level during compression but the turbulence intensity attains an approximate constant level.