In a dark environment, light emitted by a fluorescent tube 301 enters a liquid crystal panel by a light guide plate 302, is transmitted through a transflective electrode 102 after passing through a polarizer 114 and a retardation plate 113, and is introduced into a liquid crystal layer 50 following coloration of light by a color filter 104. The light introduced into the liquid crystal layer 50 is emitted at an observation side of the liquid crystal panel through the retardation plate 213 and the polarizer 214 sequentially. On the other hand, in a bright environment, light from the observation side passes through the polarizer 214 and the liquid crystal layer 50, and is reflected at the transflective electrode 102 following coloration of light by the color filter 104, whereby the light is emitted at the observation side.