A liquid crystal device for gradational display, comprising: a pair of substrates each provided with an electrode, and a liquid crystal layer comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the substrates; the pair of substrates each having thereon alignment control layer provided with a uniaxial alignment axis, wherein aid liquid crystal layer comprises a striped region and a non-striped region where (1) the striped region and the non-striped region each assume a homogeneous alignment state, (2) the striped region extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the uniaxial alignment axis, and (3) each of liquid crystal molecules within the striped region and the non-striped region show bistability; and the liquid crystal molecules within the striped region have a threshold voltage, for switching between two stable states, different from that given by the liquid crystal molecules within the on-striped region. The above two regions (striped and non-striped region) having different threshold voltages each other are suitable as a display region for a liquid crystal device providing good gradation characteristic.