We use coherent x-ray diffractive imaging to map the local distribution of strain in gold (Au) polyhedral nanocrystals grown on a silicon (Si) substrate by a single-step thermal chemical vapor deposition process. The lattice strain at the surface of the octahedral nanocrystal agrees well with the predictions of the Young-Laplace equation quantitatively, but exhibits a discrepancy near the nanocrystal-substrate interface. We attribute this discrepancy to the dissimilar interfacial energies between Au/Air and Au/Si and to the difference in thermal expansion between the nanocrystal and the substrate during the cooling process. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.