Polarized　Raman　scattering　measurement　on　single　wurtzite　c-plane　(001)　ZnO　nanorod　grown　by　hydrothermal　method　has　been　performed　at　room　temperature.　The　polarization　dependence　of　the　intensity　of　the　Raman　scattering　for　the　phonon　modes　A(1)(TO),　E-1(TO),　and　E-2(high)　in　the　ZnO　nanorod　are　obtained.　The　deviations　of　polarization-dependent　Raman　spectroscopy　from　the　prediction　of　Raman　selection　rules　are　observed,　which　can　be　attributed　to　the　structure　defects　in　the　ZnO　nanorod　as　confirmed　by　the　comparison　of　the　transmission　electron　microscopy,　photoluminescence　spectra　as　well　as　the　polarization　dependent　Raman　signal　of　the　annealed　and　unannealed　ZnO　nanorod.　The　Raman　tensor　elements　of　A(1)(TO)　and　E-1(TO)　phonon　modes　normalized　to　that　of　the　E-2(high)　phonon　mode　are　vertical　bar　a/d　vertical　bar　=　0.32　+/-　0.01,　vertical　bar　b/d　vertical　bar　=　0.49　+/-　0.02,　and　vertical　bar　c/d　vertical　bar　=　0.23　+/-　0.01　for　the　unannealed　ZnO　nanorod,　and　vertical　bar　a/d　vertical　bar　=　0.33　+/-　0.01,vertical　bar　b/d　vertical　bar　=　0.45　+/-　0.01,　and　vertical　bar　c/d　vertical　bar　=　0.20　+/-　0.01　for　the　annealed　ZnO　nanorod,　which　shows　strong　anisotropy　compared　to　that　of　bulk　ZnO　epilayer.　(C)　2014　AIP　Publishing　LLC.