We had experienced the case of hyaline cartilage tumor in the external auditory canal mimicking external auditory canal cholesteatoma. A cartilaginous tumor located in the external auditory canal is a rare finding. The natural course of these tumors as well as the diagnosis and management has not been well established. We encountered a case of a 53-year-old woman with a hyaline cartilage in the external auditory canal. She was admitted to the left external auditory canal mass incidentally founded via another hospital. Whitish mass was involved in the anterior and inferior part of left external auditory canal. The 4mm sized soft tissue opacity in anterior wall of left external auditory canal was observed on temporal bone CT. The transmeatal approach to exploration removed the mass successfully and biopsy. Biopsy result is 'A piece of hyaline cartilage with mild focal degenerative change'. No complication and recurrence was found during the following 2months postoperatively. We recognize that chondromas are in the differential of small exophytic tumors on the external auditory canal and can be removed safely and effectively through the transcanal approach.