Hydrothermal　carbonization　(HTC)　technology　shows　a　powerful　way　to　transform　biomass　into　new　carbonaceous　materials.　However,　because　of　weak　interactions　between　biomass,　the　nucleation/polymerization　process　of　HTC　carbon　follows　the　random　polymerization　mechanism,　tending　to　form　spherical　particles　with　very　few　micro/mesopores　and　very　small　surface　areas.　Herein,　we　report　an　acid-assisted　HTC　strategy　to　fabricate　a　new　family　of　hydrothermal　carbons　with　super-high　surface　areas　from　nucleoside　precursors,　namely,　guanosine,　adenosine,　and　inosine.　Among　them,　HTC　carbons　derived　from　guanosine　show　obviously　layered　graphitic　characteristics　potentially　owing　to　the　strong　multiple　hydrogen　bonding　and　pi-pi　interaction　between　guanosine,　while　the　materials　prepared　from　inosine　and　adenosine　are　composed　of　large-size　spherical　carbon　particles.　Ex-situ　characterizations　confirm　that　guanosine　first　decomposes　into　guanine　and　ribose　under　acid-assisted　HTC　conditions　to　form　bulky　guanine　sulfate.　The　guanine　sulfate　then　self-assembles　to　CN　oligomers;　meanwhile,　the　ribose　is　dehydrated　to　furfural.　The　CN　oligomer　finally　reacts　with　furfural　to　obtain　the　composite　composed　of　layered　CN　polymers　and　HTC　carbon.　Owing　to　the　self-templated　effect,　all　HTC　carbons　can　be　transformed　into　carbon　with　ultrahigh　surface　areas　(similar　to　1700　m2　center　dot　g-1)　by　further　pyrolysis　at　1000　degrees　C.　The　electrochemical　test　indicates　that　these　nucleoside-derived　carbon　materials　have　excellent　activity　in　oxygen　reduction　reaction,　especially　for　the　guanosine-derived　carbon,　exhibiting　excellent　electrocatalytic　activity　with　a　half-wave　potential　of　0.88　V　and　a　limit　current　density　of　5.84　mA　center　dot　cm-2,　which　are　quite　close　to　those　of　a　commercial　Pt/C　catalyst.