We examined quenching of growth of ZnO nanoparticles with the injection of various organic surfactants. Aliphatic isocyanides as well as organothiols were found to adsorb on ZnO nanoparticle surfaces. For a carboxylate-terminated thiol, a retardation of growth appeared to be effective presumably due to the adsorption of the carboxylate COO- group on the ZnO surface. Photoluminescence spectra and transmission electron microscopy images were obtained for thiol-capped ZnO nanoparticles. The thiol-capped ZnO nanoparticles was found to fluoresce at the wavelength shorter by similar to6 nm than those in the absence of any organic surfactants.