Disclosed herein is a guide wire (1) which, even with its diameter reduced, has adequate stiffness at specific positions to ensure good steerability and kink resistance. It is composed of the wire member (2) which is a metal core wire (2) and the coil (8) covering the forward end thereof. The core wire has in the periphery thereof the hardened part (4) and the unhardened part (3) which are adequately patterned. The hardened part may have the odd-shaped part (41), which includes three stripes spirally arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The hardened part is preferably formed by irradiation with a laser beam and ensuing quenching.
