In this article, a highly water-durable film based on (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TCNFs) was prepared through a facile process using maleic anhydride/wax copolymer (MAW)/limonene solution. In the last few decades, the expansion of thermoplastic consumption has induced serious environmental issues like soil and marine pollutants and energy resource depletion. As a replacement of existing resins, the TCNF film is one of the most promising materials because it has high mechanical properties along with lightweight, good chemical and thermal stabilities under dry conditions, and cellulose as a starting material, which is the most abundant organic polymer on earth . However, the TCNF film under humid conditions shows low mechanical strength, which is not enough to use it as a commodity item. To improve the water durability of TCNF, we attempted to develop a surface modification technique with MAW/limonene solution. By immersing in MAW/limonene solution, the water contact angle of TCNF was increased from 65°to 80°; also, its water swelling ratio was decreased from ∼6000% to 60%. Moreover, MAW-modified TCNF (M-TCNF) showed high mechanical strength (elastic modulus ∼1.8 GPa and tensile strength ∼52 MPa) in a swollen state. These results demonstrate the improvement in the water durability of the TCNF surface-modified with MAW. This contribution can help to expand the application of TCNF to various fields such as food packaging, water purification, and so on.