Abstract Monoclinic PbCrO 4 nanorods, with a rectangular cross section, a typical length of 6–7 μm, a width of 80–150 nm, and a width-to-thickness ratio of 2–5, have been successfully synthesized via a simple precipitation reaction, followed by a hydrothermal treatment without using any templates and additives. The as-synthesized products were characterized with X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction, UV–vis absorption spectra and photoluminescence spectra. It was found that the length of as-obtained PbCrO 4 nanorods relies on the pH value and the aging temperature, and the optical properties of PbCrO 4 nanorods depend on their length. The intensities of UV–vis absorbance of PbCrO 4 nanorods slightly decrease with increasing the length of nanorods. On the contrary, the intensities of room-temperature photoluminescence of PbCrO 4 nanorods increase with increasing the length of nanorods.