A bonding wire for semiconductor includes: a core wire of copper or a copper alloy; a coating layer containing palladium and having a thickness of 10 to 200 nm; and an alloy layer formed on a surface of the coating layer. The alloy layer contains a noble metal and palladium and having a thickness of 1 to 80 nm. The noble metal is either gold or silver, and a concentration of the noble metal in the alloy layer is not less than 10% and not more than 75% by volume.