Disclosed is a bonding pad for a semiconductor chip which prevents damage during a bonding process. In a semiconductor chip having conductive regions interconnected by a metal pattern, a metal region is disposed over the metal pattern. The metal region forms a bonding pad area over the conductive regions. In addition, the metal region is in direct contact with the metal pattern for substantially the whole bonding pad area. With this arrangement, the metal region absorbs mechanical stress induced when a bonding wire is bonded to the metal region during a bonding process. The metal region is sufficiently thick so as not to be perforated during the bonding process and the metal pattern is, therefore, not damaged.