This invention relates to surface-coated cemented carbide articles having a monolayer or multilayer consisting of one or more materials selected from oxides, carbides, nitrides and mixtures or compounds thereof, the most interior layer, in contact with the surface of the cemented carbide substrate, consisting of one or more materials selected from carbides and carbonitrides of Group IVa, Va and VIa elements, wherein the thickness of a decarburized layer (.eta. phase) present between the cemented carbide substrate and most interior coating layer is 0.5 micron or less in a case where the curvature of the interface is zero and the lattice constant of the binder metal of the coated cemented carbide article, as a mean value from the interface to 50 microns, is not more than that of the iron group metal solid solution by 0.005 A or more.