To provide a steel for a cold die and a cold die appropriate to a surface treatment.

The steel for the cold die and the cold die appropriate to the surface treatment contain, by mass %, over 0.7 to 1.1% C, 0.5 to 1.5% Si, 0.1 to 1.0% Mn, 5.5 to 8.5% Cr, <0.060% S, one or two kinds of Mo and W at 1.5 to 4.0% Mo+1/2W, one or two kinds of V and Nb at 0.4 to 1.0% V+1/2Nb, the balance Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein the size of the M7C3-based carbide in the microstructure is 5 to 20 μm, the area rate is 5 to 15% and the hardness is made to 60 to 65 HRC by hardening and tempering.