PURPOSE: To provide a high carbon steel wire rod to be descaled, excellent in wire drawability.

CONSTITUTION: In the steel wire rod prepared by hot rolling and having ≥0.6wt.% C content, the shape of cementite existing in the cross section of the wire rod is characterized by having ≤0.7μm average length of cementite and ≥900 average spacing of cementite. Further, the depth of decarburized layer of the wire rod in the cross section of the wire rod is regulated to ≤0.08mm. By this method, descaling property can be improved to a greater extent than that by the conventional method, and the wire rod to be descaled, as a wire rod of 3-16mm after hot rolling, excellent in wire drawability can be obtained. Moreover, the necessity of an intermediate heat treatment stage can be obviated, and the reduction of manufacturing costs can be facilitated.