A fast decay emission peaking at 645 nm with a decay lifetime within the experimental resolution of 0.14 micros is observed in ZnS:Mn2+ nanoparticles. This short-lived signal is also observed in pure ZnS and MgS: Eu3+ nanoparticles, which has nothing to do with Mn(2+)-doped ions but is from the deep trap states of the host materials. The short-lived component decreases in intensity relative to the Mn2+ emission at higher excitation powers, while it increases in intensity at low temperatures and shifts to longer wavelengths at longer time delays. Our observations demonstrated further that the emission of Mn2+ in ZnS: Mn2+ nanoparticles behaves basically the same as in bulk ZnS: Mn2+; the fast decay component is actually from the intrinsic and defect-related emission in sulfide compounds.