The zinc oxide nanorod thin film in accordance with the present invention is highly condensed and has ideal photoelectric properties. The method for making the zinc oxide nanorod thin film has two steps: forming a zinc oxide seed layer comprising multiple crystals each having a grain size of 1-100 nm on a basal plate and preparing a zinc oxide nanorod thin film growing solution in which the zinc oxide seed layer is allowed to grow a zinc oxide crystal columnar layer at a growing temperature ranging from 50 to 100° C. for a growing time ranging from 0.5 to 10 hours to form a zinc oxide nanorod thin film, wherein the zinc oxide nanorod thin film growing solution is a 0.001-0.1 M aqueous zinc ion solution comprising hexamethylenetetramine.