Uniform tellurium single crystal nanorods with diameters of 14 nm and lengths of 300 nm were prepared through reduction of [TeS₄]²⁻ by SO₃²⁻ with use of a suitable surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (NaDDBS). Te nanorods with various diameters can be prepared by carefully adjusting the concentration of NaDDBS or the initial concentration of TeS₄²⁻. The nucleation and growth processes of Te nanorods were interpreted by solid–solution–solid transformation and surfactant-assisted growth mechanism.