Disclosed is a gas-discharge display panel having plural discharge cells arranged in a matrix. Each of the discharge cells is provided with a hot cathode consisting of conductive material having a shape which provides a heat capacity and heat conductivity as small as possible. Each cathode is coated by an electron emissive material having a small work function. As a result, the hot cathode can be heated to a required working temperature solely by the bombardment of particles contained in a discharge current itself, without requiring any externally supplied heating power to obtain a highly efficient use of applied driving power.