Tear properties tests of three kinds of multi-axial warp-knitted (MWK) fabric: triaxial fabrics ($-45^{circ}/90^{circ}/+45^{circ}$ and $-45^{circ}/0^{circ}/+45^{circ}$) and biaxial fabric ($-45^{circ}/+45^{circ}$) were respectively implemented along the orientations of $0^{circ}$, $45^{circ}$ and $90^{circ}$. Load-displacement curves were well obtained. The high-speed camera was employed to observe the whole tear damage process and series of still images were picked up to analyze the meso-scale mechanism of the extension and displacement of tows on oriented layers. The results indicated the tear properties of MWK fabric are closely related to the orientations of the layers and the deformation mechanism of the layers. Stitching yarns incarnated significant effects in restricting the deformation procedures of tows.