A transflective liquid crystal display device with a reflective mode using external light and a transmissive mode using a light source comprising a light source (11) used in the transmissive mode, a liquid crystal panel (12), arranged over the light source, for operating as display element and a diffusing optical element (13), arranged over the liquid crystal panel, for having a scattering state in the reflective mode and having a non-scattering state in the transmissive mode.