We have demonstrated a method of producing nanoplatelets or complex well-ordered nanostructures from silicon carbide (SiC) whiskers. Preferential etching of SiC whiskers in a mixture of hydrofluoric and nitric acids (3:1 ratio) at 100 degrees C results in the selective removal of cubic SiC and the formation of complex structures resembling a pagoda architecture. Possible mechanisms governing selective etching are discussed. Reproducible results on SiC whiskers manufactured in different laboratories suggest that the self-patterning phenomena are common in SiC whiskers, and the same electroless etching procedure can be used to synthesize various complex nanostructures from more conventional nano- and microscale objects for use as building blocks in the fabrication of sensors, cellular probes, and electronic, optoelectronic, electromechanical, and other devices.