ZnO nanocrystals were obtained by adding an alcoholic solution of sodium methoxide containing a small amount of water to an alcoholic solution of zinc acetate dihydrate. Rod-like ZnO nanocrystals were obtained in ethanol solutions, while cubic ZnO nanocrystals were obtained in methanol solutions. X-ray diffraction analysis, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy revealed that ZnO nanorods having a length of about 50 mn and width of about 5 nm were thus synthesized easily on a gram scale.