This feature article reviews some strategies and realizations for manipulating and tailoring the physical and chemical properties of zero dimensional (0-D) and one dimensional (1-D) nanomaterials as well as reveals the underlying mechanism. A series of high-resolution characterization techniques, such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM), conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM), and spatially resolved cathodoluminescence (CL), have been used in this study, which enable us to investigate the morphologies, structures and properties of individual nanomaterials experimentally. Some theoretical quantum chemistry methods such as tightbinding (TB) and density functional theory (DFT) are also applied for better understanding the experimental phenomena. Our results demonstrate that deliberate control at atomic and molecular scale, such as fabricating ordered and disordered metal nanoparticles, growing designed heterostructures, doping or grafting single molecules, and changing geometry (e.g., aspect ratio, tip sharpness, size, and surface ratio), can dramatically tailor the properties of the 0-D and 1-D nanomaterials. The results shown here can be extended to various nanomaterials and nanodevices, and therefore are useful for versatile applications in nanoscience and nanotechnology.