A small portable flashlight, wherein laminated platy cells (11) are held on a circuit board (10) having a switching circuit on one surface thereof and one cell contact point (19) on the other surface thereof, the other cell contact point (22b) is provided on a contact arm (21) extending from the board so as to hold the cells, the circuit board, cell, the circuit board, cells, and contact arm laminated each other are stored in a main body case part (9) formed in a flat shape, a light emitting body (12) having a light emitting part exposed to the outside of the main body case is held on the side part of a laminated body thus obtained, and an operating part (13) moved to come into contact with or separate from the contact point of the switching circuit so as to perform the flashing operation of the light emitting body is provided on the upper or side part of the main body case, whereby the portable flashlight can be reduced in size and, therefore, can be carried as if the flashlight is a key holder.