Unique structures and functions for plants and animals have been evolved very close to perfect to suit their specific living environments. Inspired by these interesting properties in nature, researchers have endeavored to discover novel biological structures and functionalities and to develop novel artificial bioinspired artificial materials. In this report, we introduce a novel approach to achieve structure/function mimicking low-dimensional inorganic nanomaterials by designing architecture well-defined complex nanostructures by learning from targeted natural species. For example, bioinspired ZnO nanostructures with designed wetting behaviors and presented extraordinary optical properties have been successfully fabricated by mimicking the natural photonic structures that found in the cycloid scales of Asian Arowana (Scleropages) and the compound eyes of horse-flies (Hybomitra micans). The extraordinary properties of the bioinspired nanostructures open a new way for the development of novel multifunctional nanomaterials from conventional materials.