ZnO nanowires were successfully synthesized with the assistance of AgNO3 by a low-cost chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The ZnO nanowires were characterized and analyzed by FE-SEM, XRD, EDS and PL spectrum. The as-prepared ZnO nanowires were indexed to the wurtize structure. The average diameters of the ZnO nanowires were 50 nm and the lengths were 3-5μm. A violet emission around 421nm was observed besides the UV emission at room temperature. The vapor-liquid-solid mechanism is responsible for the growth of the ZnO nanwires. (From Journal of Synthetic Crystals)