(K0.5Bi0.5)(0.4)Ba0.6TiO3　nanowires　have　been　fabricated　by　a　sol-gel-hydrothermal　method　at　200　degrees　C.　X-ray　diffraction　result　shows　that　the　nanowires　have　a　tetragonal　perovskite　structure.　Transmission　electron　microscopy　investigations　exhibit　that　the　as-prepared　nanowires　are　single　crystalline　grains　with　diameters　of　about　40　nm　and　lengths　reaching　up　to　800　nm.　The　(K0.5Bi0.5)(0.4)Ba0.6TiO3　ceramics　with　a　relative　density　of　97%　can　be　fabricated　from　the　high　quality　nanowires　even　by　a　conventional　sintering　process,　which　showed　that　typical　characteristics　of　relaxor　ferroelectrics,　the　indicator　of　degree　of　diffuseness　gamma　and　Curie　temperature　T-C　(100　kHz),　were　1.65　and　220　degrees　C,　respectively.　(c)　2006　American　Institute　of　Physics.