A coral-like ZnO/C-ZnFe2O4 (Z/C-ZFO) photocatalyst was synthesized by simulating the structural characteristics of coral since its structure is conducive to the capture and absorption of light. The synthesis process involves a two-step process. First, flowerlike hierarchical precursors were synthesized through a hydrothermal self-assembled route. Next, the precursors were thermally annealed in a nitrogen atmosphere after doping with a zinc source. In addition to forming heterojunctions that enhance its photocatalytic properties, the coral-like nanostructures endowed Z/C-ZFO with significant light-harvesting efficiency. Finally, the photocatalyst was used for antibacterial applications against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The results showed that the optimized sterilization efficiencies toward E. coli and S. aureus bacteria were 99.4 and 98.0%, respectively, combined with excellent cycling stability. The method of designing and synthesizing coral-like structures in this study may also be extended to the synthesis of other photocatalytic and optical materials.