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Exploiting efficient and low-cost cocatalyst with a facile grafting strategy is of critical importance for significantly boosting the photocatalytic H 2 -evolution activity. In this study, S2−-adsorbed MoS x nanoparticle as a superior H 2 -evolutoin cocatalyst was successfully grafted on the TiO 2 surface to greatly boost its photocatalytic activity via one-step lactic acid-induced synthesis strategy. Herein, the lactic acid can induce the homogeneous production of amorphous MoS x (a-MoS x) nanoparticles from MoS 4 2− precursor, while the symbiotic S2- ions can be easily and availably self-adsorbed on the a-MoS x surface, resulting in the formation of S2--adsorbed a-MoS x nanoparticles with a small size of 0.5−3 nm. Photocatalytic results manifested that the S2−-adsorbed MoS x nanoparticles could dramatically facilitate the H 2 -generation rate of TiO 2 photocatalysts (3452 μmol h-1 g-1, AQE = 16.5 %). In situ irradiated XPS in conjunction with transient-state PL and photoelectrochemical tests reveal that the improved H 2 -generation activity can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of boosted interfacial charge transfer from TiO 2 to S2−-adsorbed MoS x and the superior H 2 -evolution reaction on self-adsorbed S2− ions. In addition, the S2−-adsorbed MoS x nanoparticles can also act as the general H 2 -generation cocatalyst to obviously promote the activity of other typical host photocatalysts such as g-C 3 N 4 and CdS. This work provides an innovative approach to develop high-efficiency MoS x -based cocatalyst with boosted interfacial charge transfer toward highly efficient photocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]