Two-dimensional ZnO micro-platelets with hexagonal morphologies have been synthesized on a large scale via a precursor-growth-pyrolysis approach, in which the hexagonal precursor is first synthesized by the commercial ZnO powders and glycerol under solvothermal conditions and hexagonal ZnO micro-platelets are finally obtained through a simple pyrolysis method. The possible growth process is proposed by arresting a series of intermediate morphologies during the shape evolution of ZnO micro-platelets based on the SEM observation. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.