A novel liquid crystalline compound having a sufficiently large .DELTA.n, a superior, low temperature compatibility with other liquid crystals and a chemical stability; a liquid crystal composition containing the above compound; and a display element using the above liquid crystal composition are provided, which liquid crystalline compound is expressed by the formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl group or alkoxy group of 1 to 10C, cyano group or a halogen atom; R.sub.2 is an alkyl group of 1 to 5C wherein one methylene group (--CH.sub.2 --) may be replaced by oxygen atom; X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 each independently are hydrogen atom or a halogen atom; A and B each independently are single bond, 1,4-phenylene ring or 1,4-cyclohexylene ring which may be substituted by halogen atom may be; and p is 1 to 5.