A ZnO-based semiconductor light emitting element includes a ZnO-based semiconductor layer formed on a rectangular sapphire A-plane substrate having a principal surface lying in the A-plane {11-20}. The substrate has a thickness of 50 to 200 μm and is surrounded by two parallel first side edges forming an angle in a range of 52.7° to 54.7° with respect to the m-axis orthogonal to the c-axis and two parallel second side edges orthogonal to the first side edges. The light emitting element is obtained by: forming, on a surface of the sapphire A-plane substrate opposite to the surface on which the ZnO-based semiconductor layer is formed, first scribed grooves forming an angle in a range of 52.7° to 54.7° with respect to the m-axis and second scribed grooves orthogonal to the first scribed grooves; and breaking the substrate along the first scribed grooves and then along the second scribed grooves.