Inorganic nanocrystals with certain geometries exhibit unique shape dependent phenomena and subsequent utilization of them as building blocks for the key components of nanodevices is of huge interest. We describe here the current studies on a variety of nanobuilding blocks obtained by liquid phase colloidal synthetic methods. Architecture of these nanocrystals can be simply classified by their dimensionalities: 0-dimensional quantum dots including spheres, cubes, and tetrahedrons. 1-dimensional nanorods and wires, 2-dimensional nanodiscs and plates, and other advanced shapes such as rod-based multipods and nanostars. Several mechanisms and critical parameters for nanocrystal shape guiding processes are carefully examined. The crystalline phase of initial nucleus and a delicate control between thermodynamic and kinetic growth regimes is crucial for determining final architecture of nanocrystals. Once we understand the guiding laws of nanocrystals growth, many new nanobuiiding blocks will easily be tailored for the discovery of novel phenomena and also further exciting advancement of nanoscience and nanotechnology.