ZnO　nanorod　arrays　(NRs)　with　a　large　number　of　sharp　tips　and　uniform　shapes　were　grown　on　the　carbon　cloth　(CC)　by　a　simple　hydrothermal　method.　Titanium　nitride　(TiN)　nanoparticles　with　various　thicknesses　were　deposited　on　the　ZnO　NRs　by　magnetron　sputtering　to　obtain　ZnO/TiN　core-shell　arrays.　Field　emission　(FE)　performance　of　ZnO　NRs　show　close　dependence　on　TiN　coating　thickness.　The　turn-on　field　first　decreases　and　then　increases　with　increasing　TiN　coating　thickness　from　60　nm　to　300　nm.　The　arrays　with　a　design　architecture　can　strike　a　balance　between　increased　emission　sites　and　limited　field　shielding　effects.　ZnO/TiN240　core-shell　NRs　have　the　lower　turn-on　electric　field　at　0.79　V/μm　and　the　higher　current　densities　at　9.39　mA/cm2.　The　field　enhancement　factor　(β)　of　ZnO/TiN240　is　about　3.2　times　that　of　the　bare　ZnO　NRs.　On　the　other　hand,　the　electrochemical　properties　were　improved　due　to　the　formation　of　core-shell　heterojunction　on　the　ZnO/TiN　interface　and　porous　structure,　which　makes　the　ion　and　charge　transport　more　convenient.　Hence,　this　work　not　only　revealed　that　the　ZnO/TiN　core-shell　structure　exhibited　excellent　improvement　in　both　FE　and　supercapacitors　applications,　but　also　that　growing　arrays　on　CC　was　expected　to　achieve　flexible　display.　©　2021