A　simple,　sensitive,　selective　and　high-resolution　colorimetric　method　has　been　developed　for　the　detection　of　p-aminophenol　in　environmental　water　and　human　urine　samples.　In　the　presence　of　p-aminophenol,　silver　ions　are　reduced　to　silver　atoms　and　subsequently　Ag　nanoshells　anisotropically　grow　on　the　surface　of　Au　nanorods　to　generate　orange　slice-like　Au@Ag　core-shell　nanocrystals,　thereby　resulting　in　the　blue-shift　of　longitudinal　surface　plasmon　resonance　band　of　Au　nanorods　accompanying　a　sharp-contrast　multicolor　change.　Using　Au@Ag　core-shell　nanocrystals　as　the　transducer,　sub-micromolar　p-aminophenol　can　be　detected　by　the　colorimetric　method　and　10　μmol　L-1　p-aminophenol　can　be　visual　readout　by　the　naked　eyes.　Furthermore,　a　simple,　cheap,　portable　test　kit　is　constructed　for　the　visual　assay　of　urinary　p-aminophenol　without　complicated　sample　pretreatment　and　sophisticated　instruments.　The　proposed　colorimetric　method　has　the　potential　for　the　rapid　and　on-site　analyses　of　p-aminophenol　in　environmental　water　and　human　urine　samples.　©　2015　Elsevier　B.V.