A black steel sheet having a sufficiently small coating thickness to allow the welding of the steel sheet, and yet exhibiting an excellently black surface, but also having high corrosion resistance, adhesive strength and formability. It is a steel sheet having a surface plated with zinc or zinc alloy, and carrying a chromate film formed on its plated surface, and a black film formed on the chromate film from a composition comprising specific proportions of a water-soluble or water-dispersible thermosetting resin and a water-soluble black dye, and having a sufficiently small thickness. The composition may further contain a solid lubricant, or a granular rust-inhibitive pigment, or both.