A semiconductor chip lead frame may have universal application for mounting any of many different chip sizes. More particularly, an island for supporting the chip has a plurality of recesses at its peripheral side portions, opposed to the intervals between leads. By changing the depth of these recesses, the lead frame can be adapted to mount various semiconductor chips having different chip areas, thereby conforming the area encircled by the bottoms of the recesses with the area of a chip having the minimum chip area. An advantage is that the chip-supporting frame area which is to be plated can be reduced, at least by the area of the recesses. The heat dissipation efficiency of the lead frame is not harmed.