The invention is to provide liquid crystalline compounds which have a low viscosity, high negative dielectric anisotropy, high resistivity, and high voltage holding ratio, and are stable against heat and ultraviolet light; to provide liquid crystal compositions comprising the liquid crystalline compound; and to provide liquid crystal display devices using the liquid crystal composition therein; the liquid crystalline compound is expressed by the general formula (1) wherein R1 and Y1 represent an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; X1, X2, and X3 independently represent single bond, 1,2-ethylene group, vinylene group, —COO—, —CF2O—, or —OCF2—; ring A1, ring A2, ring A3, and ring A4 independently represent trans-1,4-cyclohexylene, or 1,4-phenylene hydrogen atom on the ring may be replaced by fluorine atom or chlorine atom provided that at least one of ring A2, ring A3, and ring A4 represents 2,3-difluoro-1,4-phenylene; m and n are 0 or 1, and each element which constitutes this compound may be replaced by its isotope.