A wire rod for cutting work, comprising: a chemical composition containing C: 0.001 mass% to 0.150 mass%, Si: 0.010 mass% or less, Mn: 0.20 mass% to 2.00 mass%, P: 0.02 mass% to 0.15 mass%, S: 0.20 mass% to 0.50 mass%, N: 0.0300 mass% or less, O: 0.0050 mass% to 0.0300 mass%, optionally one or more selected from the group consisting of Pb: 0.01 mass% to 0.50 mass%, Bi: 0.01 mass% to 0.50 mass%, Ca: 0.01 mass% or less, Se: 0.1 mass% or less, and Te: 0.1 mass% or less, optionally one or more selected from the group consisting of Cr: 3.0 mass% or less, Al: 0.010 mass% or less, Sb: 0.010 mass% or less, Sn: 0.010 mass% or less, Cu: 1.0 mass% or less, Ni: 1.0 mass% or less, and Mo: 1.0 mass% or less, and optionally one or more selected from the group consisting of Nb: 0.050 mass% or less, Ti: 0.050 mass% or less, V: 0.050 mass% or less, Zr: 0.050 mass% or less, W: 0.050 mass% or less, Ta: 0.050 mass% or less, Y: 0.050 mass% or less, Hf: 0.050 mass% or less, and B: 0.050 mass% or less with the balance consisting of Fe and inevitable impurities; and Vickers hardness that satisfies the following expressions and in the case where an average aspect ratio of ferrite grains at a position of 1/4 of a diameter from a surface of the wire rod for cutting work is more than 2.8, and satisfies the following expressions and in the case where the average aspect ratio is 2.8 or less, H ave ≤ 350 H σ ≤ 30 H ave ≤ 250 H σ ≤ 25 where H ave is an average value in a circumferential direction of Vickers hardness at the position of 1/4 of the diameter from the surface, and H σ is a standard deviation of Vickers hardness for 100 points at the position of 1/4 of the diameter from the surface, wherein the Vickers hardness is determined according to the description. a chemical composition containing C: 0.001 mass% to 0.150 mass%, Si: 0.010 mass% or less, Mn: 0.20 mass% to 2.00 mass%, P: 0.02 mass% to 0.15 mass%, S: 0.20 mass% to 0.50 mass%, N: 0.0300 mass% or less, O: 0.0050 mass% to 0.0300 mass%, C: 0.001 mass% to 0.150 mass%, Si: 0.010 mass% or less, Mn: 0.20 mass% to 2.00 mass%, P: 0.02 mass% to 0.15 mass%, S: 0.20 mass% to 0.50 mass%, N: 0.0300 mass% or less, O: 0.0050 mass% to 0.0300 mass%, optionally one or more selected from the group consisting of Pb: 0.01 mass% to 0.50 mass%, Bi: 0.01 mass% to 0.50 mass%, Ca: 0.01 mass% or less, Se: 0.1 mass% or less, and Te: 0.1 mass% or less, Pb: 0.01 mass% to 0.50 mass%, Bi: 0.01 mass% to 0.50 mass%, Ca: 0.01 mass% or less, Se: 0.1 mass% or less, and Te: 0.1 mass% or less, optionally one or more selected from the group consisting of Cr: 3.0 mass% or less, Al: 0.010 mass% or less, Sb: 0.010 mass% or less, Sn: 0.010 mass% or less, Cu: 1.0 mass% or less, Ni: 1.0 mass% or less, and Mo: 1.0 mass% or less, and Cr: 3.0 mass% or less, Al: 0.010 mass% or less, Sb: 0.010 mass% or less, Sn: 0.010 mass% or less, Cu: 1.0 mass% or less, Ni: 1.0 mass% or less, and Mo: 1.0 mass% or less, and optionally one or more selected from the group consisting of Nb: 0.050 mass% or less, Ti: 0.050 mass% or less, V: 0.050 mass% or less, Zr: 0.050 mass% or less, W: 0.050 mass% or less, Ta: 0.050 mass% or less, Y: 0.050 mass% or less, Hf: 0.050 mass% or less, and B: 0.050 mass% or less Nb: 0.050 mass% or less, Ti: 0.050 mass% or less, V: 0.050 mass% or less, Zr: 0.050 mass% or less, W: 0.050 mass% or less, Ta: 0.050 mass% or less, Y: 0.050 mass% or less, Hf: 0.050 mass% or less, and B: 0.050 mass% or less with the balance consisting of Fe and inevitable impurities; and Vickers hardness that satisfies the following expressions and in the case where an average aspect ratio of ferrite grains at a position of 1/4 of a diameter from a surface of the wire rod for cutting work is more than 2.8, and satisfies the following expressions and in the case where the average aspect ratio is 2.8 or less, H ave ≤ 350 H σ ≤ 30 H ave ≤ 250 H σ ≤ 25 where H ave is an average value in a circumferential direction of Vickers hardness at the position of 1/4 of the diameter from the surface, and H σ is a standard deviation of Vickers hardness for 100 points at the position of 1/4 of the diameter from the surface, wherein the Vickers hardness is determined according to the description.