CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) passivated with chiral ligands D- and L-cysteinemethylester hydrochloride were prepared and observed to exhibit characteristic CD profiles with symmetrical mirror images depending on the chirality of the capping ligand. The optical activity of CdTe NCs is shown to originate from the distorted US shell including chiral capping molecules. The chirality of the NC surface is maintained even after ligand exchange with an achiral thiol, providing an unprecedented chiral memory effect.