In a liquid crystal display unit where a matrix pattern of pixels are defined by gate lines and crosswise data lines, transparent pixel electrodes are formed on the same layer as the data lines and corresponding transparent common electrodes are formed above the transparent pixel electrodes. On the common electrodes the liquid crystal layer is provided. In the aperture of each pixel, the common electrode has a pattern of parallel stripe portions and a peripheral portion outside of the aperture for shielding the field of the corresponding data line. Each pixel electrode cooperates with that parallel stripe portions of the corresponding common electrode to produce inner fringe fields along such parallel stripe portions and has portions that overlap the peripheral portions of the common electrode to produce peripheral fringe fields so that liquid-crystal cells can be uniformly in-plane switched by the inner fringe fields as well as by the peripheral fringe fields.