Traditional　slurry-based　electrodes　consist　of　heavy　current　collectors　and　electroactive　materials　with　a　low　weight　percentage,　which　inevitably　increase　the　total　weight　and　cost　of　lithium-ion　batteries　(LIBs).　Consequently,　the　development　of　low-cost,　lightweight,　flexible　and　binder-free　electrodes　for　LIBs　is　highly　desirable　but　also　greatly　challenging.　In　this　work,　we　report　the　synthesis　of　small　ZnO　nanoparticles　uniformly　embedded　in　N-doped　carbon　(NC)　nanoplate　arrays　(NPAs)　tightly　grown　on　a　N-doped　carbon　paper　(NCP)　substrate　(ZnO/NC　NPAs@NCP)　through　a　facile　metal-organic　framework-engaged　strategy.　This　electrode　design　not　only　avoids　the　utilisation　of　insulating　polymer　binders　but　also　offers　other　advantages,　including　large　electrode/electrolyte　contact　areas,　abundant　electroactive　sites,　good　wettability　of　the　electrolyte,　fast　electron/ion　transport　and　efficient　volume　accommodation.　Notably,　the　freestanding　ZnO/NC　NPAs@NCP　electrode　displays　a　high　reversible　capacity　of　610　mA　h　g−1　(based　on　the　mass　of　entire　electrode)　at　a　current　density　of　100　mA　g−1　for　50　cycles　and　excellent　long-term　cycling　stability　(363　mA　h　g−1　at　500　mA　g−1　for　200　cycles).　Furthermore,　a　full　cell　employing　ZnO/NC　NPAs@NCP　as　the　anode　and　commercial　LiFePO4　as　the　cathode　is　constructed,　indicating　the　feasibility　for　practical　application.　Moreover,　an　analysis　of　the　electrode　kinetics　confirms　the　favourable　lithium-ion　storage　kinetics　within　the　ZnO/NC　NPAs@NCP　electrode.　The　present　work　could　provide　a　new　approach　to　develop　low-cost,　lightweight　and　flexible　electrodes　for　advanced　energy　storage.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.