This paper describes a simple complex-surfactant-assisted hydrothermal reduction approach to the facile synthesis of metal copper nanowires with average diameters of 85 nm and lengths of several tens of micrometers. These copper nanowires were formed through the reduction of the Cu^II−glycerol complexes (Cu(C₃H₆O₃)) by phosphite (HPO₃^2-) in the presence of surfactant sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS) at 120 °C. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) indicate that the resulted nanowires had preferred [10] growth direction. The formation mechanism for Cu nanowires had been properly proposed. Some influencing factors on the morphologies of the final products had also been discussed.