Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-modified CdS nanorods were prepared by a hydrothermal reaction of CdCl2 2.5H2O and (NH4)2S with 10 wt% ethylenediamine aqueous solution as solvent and 1.0 wt% PVP as additives. The obtained products were characterized by means of XRD, TEM, IR, DTA-TG, UV-Vis and PL spectroscopies. The surface-modified CdS nanorods showed narrow size distribution and enhanced luminescence property compared with that of the unmodified ones. The UV-Vis spectra exhibited a structure peak. These results were attributed to the surface passivation of the CdS nanorods by the PVP molecules.