High surface area tungsten carbide (WC) was prepared by the carburization of tungsten sulfide (WS2) with a mixture gas of H-2/CH4. In particular, the surface area of WC derived from W(CO)(6)/S as starting material showed around 80 m(2)/g, which is the highest value among reported. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results revealed that WS2 decomposed into small WC crystals with a plate-like structure retaining the entire morphology of the original WS2 when WS2 was transformed into WC. That may be one of reasons why WC obtained in this way gives a high surface area.