Bismuth　(Bi),　as　an　alloy-based　material,　has　been　demonstrated　as　a　promising　anode　for　sodium-ion　batteries　(SIBs)　due　to　its　high　theoretical　capacity.　However,　the　large　volume　change　of　the　Bi　anode　during　the　sodiation/desodiation　process　results　in　poor　cycling　performance,　which　limits　its　practical　application.　In　the　present　work,　a　simple　one-step　route　was　realized　to　fabricate　Bi　nanoparticles　embedded　into　a　N-doped　carbon　matrix　(Bi@NC)　by　calcining　Bi-containing　metal-organic　framework　(Bi-MOF)　precursors.　Benefitting　from　the　synergistic　effect　of　Bi　nanoparticles　and　the　conductive　N-doped　carbon　matrix,　the　composite　can　not　only　reduce　the　ion/electron　diffusion　pathways　and　enhance　the　reaction　kinetics,　but　can　also　effectively　alleviate　the　volume　expansion　during　alloying/dealloying　processes.　As　a　result,　the　Bi@NC　electrode　displayed　an　excellent　electrochemical　performance　with　a　superior　rate　capability　of　86%　capacity　retention　at　10　A　g−1and　a　high　capacity　of　326.9　mA　h　g−1after　5000　cycles　at　2　A　g−1.　Furthermore,　the　assembled　full　cell　with　a　Na3V2(PO4)3cathode　and　a　Bi@NC　anode　also　delivered　an　impressive　electrochemical　performance　with　a　high　energy　density　of　125　W　h　kg−1(based　on　the　total　mass　of　cathode　and　anode　materials).　Furthermore,　the　sodium　storage　mechanism　was　also　elucidated　through　in-depth　fundamental　investigation　usingin　situX-ray　diffraction　(XRD)　and　density　functional　theory　(DFT)　calculations.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry　2021.