A hot-dip galvanized steel sheet which is produced from a cold-rolled steel sheet, as a base steel sheet, consisting essentially of C: 0.010-0.06 wt %, Si: no more than 0.5 wt %, Mn: no less than 0.5 wt % and less than 2.0 wt %, P: no more than 0.20 wt %, S: no more than 0.01 wt %, Al: 0.005-0.10 wt %, N: no more than 0.005 wt %, Cr: no more than 1.0 wt %, Mn+1.3Cr: 1.9-2.3 wt %, Fe: remainder, and having a structure composed of ferrite and a second phase containing martensite, said second phase in the structure accounting for no more than 20% in terms of area and martensite in the second phase accounting for no less than 50%, and which has a zinc-plated layer formed on the surface thereof by hot-dip galvanizing or hot-dip galvannealing. A process for production of said hot-dip galvanized steel sheet. This steel sheet has a composite structure containing martensite and yet it has a low strength (no higher than 500 MPa) and also has good strength-ductility balance.